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In its most common usage gender represents differentiation among the sexes of living beings, including humans.

Many species of living things exist in two or more forms that combine genetic material in order to reproduce. This is called sexual reproduction. Typically, a species will have two genders, called male and female (the female produces the larger gamete). Fungi and other organisms exist in more than two sexes yet, still reproduce in pairs ( though nothing like "opposite sex" exists in these cases). Some species, like earthworms or geckos, are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction.

In mammals, birds, and many other species, gender is greatly determined by the sex chromosomes, X and Y. Males typically have one of each (XY), while females typically have two X chromosomes (XX). The Y chromosome is reduced, and is completely absent in some forms with considerable variation along a continuim. In other forms, sex may be determined by various other sex-determination systems, including ones controlled by environmental factors like temperature, or by age. Many animals are hermaphroditic - that is, individuals may have both male and female parts.

Arguement exists wheather genders are discrete or a continuum. Some have argued that the division of human beings into male and female is a social construction. Other social constructions postulate more. Anne Fausto-Sterling at one time advocated five sexes (male, female, merm, ferm and herm). She has apparently retreated from this position. Advocates for transgendered recognize that this construct might not be helpful to the interests of intersexual people.

See also: evolution, gender and sexuality studies, human sexuality, sex organ, the assembly language mnemonic SEX. The usage of this term falls into several areas.

For usages relating to sex and human relations see

• Gender and sexuality studies
• Gender studies
• Sexual orientation
• Transgender
• Transsexual
• Legal aspects of transsexualism
• Hate crime
• Patriarchy
• Psychology

For usages relating to grammar and linguistics see

• Gender-neutral pronouns
• Gender-specific pronoun
• Grammatical gender
• Non-sexist language
• Singular they

For the use of the term in literary criticism see

• gender analysis

For usages in biology see

• Autosome
• Hermaphrodite

Situations sometimes arise where gender may be mimicked by inanimate objects, notably in cable connectors that have male and female counterparts. In this context see

• Gender changer