Gender and sexuality | AQA A-Level Sociology

For Specification 7192

AQA A-Level Sociology | Free Revision Notes

Estimated study time: 40 minutes

exam questions by topic 👇

Gender and sexuality are two of the social characteristics that AQA requires students to relate to identity in contemporary society. This Gender and sexuality A-Level Sociology revision page examines where gendered and sexual identities fit within Culture and Identity, particularly the requirement to understand identity and difference as both socially caused and socially constructed. It builds on ethnic and national identities [Ethnicity and nationality] and prepares you for the next dimension of identity, social class [Social class and identity].

Learning Objectives 🎯

By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:

• Explain how gender relates to identity within the AQA Culture and Identity specification.

• Explain how sexuality relates to identity within the specification.

• Examine gendered and sexual identities within the idea that identity and difference are socially caused.

• Examine how gendered and sexual identities may be socially constructed.

• Relate gender and sexuality to the wider themes of socialisation, culture and identity.

• Evaluate sociological explanations of gendered and sexual identities at the level supported by the provided sources.

Revision Notes 📚

Gender and sexuality within Culture and Identity

AQA requires students studying Culture and Identity to be familiar with sociological explanations of:

• different conceptions of culture

• the socialisation process and the role of agencies of socialisation

• the self, identity and difference as both socially caused and socially constructed

• the relationship of identity to age, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexuality and social class in contemporary society

• the relationship of identity to production, consumption and globalisation.

Both gender and sexuality are therefore explicitly required dimensions of identity.

They appear within a wider sequence in which students first study the self, identity and difference [The self, identity and difference], before examining how identity relates to particular social characteristics.

The relationship between gender and identity

AQA explicitly requires students to examine the relationship between identity and gender in contemporary society.

Gender identity and the self

Gender does not appear as an isolated specification concept. Immediately before listing gender and the other social characteristics, AQA requires students to study:

the self, identity and difference as both socially caused and socially constructed. 

Gender identity should therefore be placed within this wider sociological framework.

Students ultimately need to move beyond identifying gender as a characteristic and examine its relationship with identity.

The specification itself does not explain the particular mechanisms through which gender becomes part of identity, so detailed causal claims require additional specification-compatible sociological material.

Gender identity as socially caused

AQA requires identity and difference to be considered as socially caused.

Within this framework, students should be prepared to examine gender identity in relation to wider social influences rather than treating it as something that can be understood entirely by looking at individuals in isolation.

This connects with previous work on socialisation [The socialisation process] and agencies of socialisation [Agencies of socialisation].

Gender identity as socially constructed

The specification also requires identity and difference to be examined as socially constructed.

This provides an important sociological framework for the study of gender.

Gender and socialisation

Gender identity can be connected to the earlier AQA requirement concerning:

• the socialisation process

• agencies of socialisation.

Socialisation, culture and identity also form one of the two core themes running throughout A-Level Sociology.

This gives students a legitimate reason to consider links between gender, identity and wider social processes.

However, the specification does not state that particular agencies necessarily create particular gender identities.

⚠️ Exam point: A specific claim about how an agency influences gender identity needs accurate sociological explanation or evidence. Do not assume a relationship simply because both concepts appear in the specification.

The relationship between sexuality and identity

AQA separately requires students to examine the relationship between identity and sexuality in contemporary society.

Sexuality therefore forms an explicit element of Culture and Identity rather than an optional example.

Sexual identity as socially caused

As with gender, sexuality appears immediately after the requirement that identity and difference should be examined as socially caused and socially constructed.

This provides the wider sociological framework for studying sexual identity.

Students should therefore ultimately be able to consider how sexual identities relate to social processes rather than treating identity purely as an isolated individual characteristic.

Sexual identity as socially constructed

The requirement to examine identity and difference as socially constructed is also relevant to sexuality.

Comparing gender and sexuality

Gender and sexuality are listed separately within the AQA specification, so students should not treat them as interchangeable concepts.

Specification area	What AQA requires
Gender	Examine the relationship between identity and gender in contemporary society.
Sexuality	Examine the relationship between identity and sexuality in contemporary society.
Both	Place them within the study of identity and difference as socially caused and socially constructed.
Wider framework	Consider Culture and Identity through the core themes of socialisation, culture and identity, and social differentiation, power and stratification.

The supplied specification does not provide definitions that allow a more detailed comparison of gender and sexuality.

A stronger student should therefore remember that they are distinct specification concepts, even where sociological discussion may connect them.

Gender, sexuality and culture

Culture forms part of the first AQA core theme:

socialisation, culture and identity.

Earlier Culture and Identity lessons require students to examine different conceptions of culture, including:

• subculture

• mass culture

• folk culture

• high and low culture

• popular culture

• global culture.

The specification therefore places culture, socialisation and different identities within one connected topic.

However, it does not specify that particular cultural forms produce particular gendered or sexual identities.

Detailed explanations of those relationships would require additional specification-compatible evidence.

Gender, sexuality and social differentiation

AQA's second core theme is:

social differentiation, power and stratification.

This means students should be alert to possible connections between identities and wider differences within society.

Gender has a particularly clear wider presence in the AQA specification. For example, if students study Stratification and Differentiation, AQA separately requires:

• stratification and differentiation by gender

• differences in life chances by gender.

Similarly, gender appears elsewhere in the course, including educational achievement and experiences.

⚠️ These are separate specification areas. A question about gender identity should remain focused on identity unless wider inequalities are directly relevant to the argument.

Sexuality within the Culture and Identity specification

Sexuality is explicitly required within Culture and Identity, but it is not listed alongside social class, gender, ethnicity and age in AQA's Stratification and Differentiation content.

This distinction matters.

It shows why students should work from the specification requirements for the particular topic being examined rather than assuming that every social characteristic is treated identically across every part of Sociology.

For this lesson, the secure requirement is the relationship between sexuality and identity in contemporary society.

Gender and sexuality alongside other identities

AQA requires identity to be related to seven named characteristics:

1. age

2. disability

3. ethnicity

4. gender

5. nationality

6. sexuality

7. social class.

You have already examined age and disability identities [Age and disability identities] and ethnicity and nationality [Ethnicity and nationality].

This lesson covers gender and sexuality, before the sequence moves to social class and identity [Social class and identity].

This structure is useful for comparison, but students should not assume that all seven dimensions of identity are sociologically explained in the same way.

Gender, sexuality and contemporary society

AQA specifically requires these identity relationships to be studied in contemporary society.

This sits within the wider requirement that the central focus of AQA Sociology should be UK society today, with comparative dimensions considered where relevant and the UK located within its globalised context.

Students should therefore ultimately use contemporary sociological knowledge when examining gendered and sexual identities.

The specification itself does not supply contemporary examples or statistics, so these should not be invented as required knowledge.

Identity, gender, sexuality and globalisation

The final Culture and Identity requirement concerns:

the relationship of identity to production, consumption and globalisation. 

This provides a further dimension through which identity is studied later in the topic.

Students should therefore recognise that gender and sexuality are not the final boundaries of identity within the specification.

The course later moves to production, consumption and globalisation [Production, consumption, globalisation and identity].

Sociological explanations of gendered identities

AQA states that students studying Topics in Sociology should examine both:

• evidence

• sociological explanations

for the content specified.

The lesson plan therefore requires students to evaluate sociological explanations of gendered identities.

Sociological explanations of sexual identities

The same limitation applies to sexual identities.

Evaluating explanations of gendered and sexual identities

AO3 asks students to analyse and evaluate sociological theories, concepts and evidence in order to:

• present arguments

• make judgements

• draw conclusions.

Once appropriate sociological explanations have been studied, a developed evaluation should therefore:

1. Explain an account of gendered or sexual identity accurately.

2. Connect it explicitly to identity.

3. Consider relevant evidence or an alternative explanation.

4. Analyse a strength, limitation or difference between explanations.

5. Reach a supported judgement.

Simply writing that one explanation is "better" than another without explaining why would not demonstrate developed sociological evaluation.

Applying gender and sexuality in an examination

AQA assesses three assessment objectives.

AO1: Knowledge and understanding

You need accurate sociological knowledge of:

• gender and identity

• sexuality and identity

• social causes and social construction

• relevant sociological explanations and evidence.

The specification identifies these areas as required, although it does not supply detailed explanations.

AO2: Application

A question may give an Item describing particular identities or social influences.

Good application means taking a specific detail from the Item and explaining it using relevant sociological knowledge.

⚠️ Repeating the phrase "gender identity" from an Item does not by itself demonstrate application.

AO3: Analysis and evaluation

You may need to analyse:

• how gender relates to identity

• how sexuality relates to identity

• links with socialisation

• relationships with culture

• socially caused and socially constructed identities

• competing sociological explanations.

Where evaluation is required, arguments should lead towards a reasoned judgement.

Key Words 🔑

Key word	Student-friendly definition	How it may be used in an exam
Gender	One of the social characteristics AQA requires students to relate to identity in contemporary society.	Explain and evaluate sociological accounts of the relationship between gender and identity.
Sexuality	A separate characteristic that AQA requires students to relate to identity.	Use when examining sociological explanations of sexual identity.
Identity	A central Culture and Identity concept examined as socially caused and socially constructed and related to several social characteristics.	Apply to questions about gendered and sexual identities.
Difference	Studied alongside the self and identity as socially caused and socially constructed.	Use when analysing differences in identity within society.
Socially caused	One way in which AQA requires the self, identity and difference to be understood.	Use when considering wider social influences on gendered or sexual identity.
Socially constructed	The second way AQA requires identity and difference to be examined.	Use when analysing sociological accounts of the construction of identities.
Socialisation	A required process within the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.	Link relevant social influences with the wider study of identity.
Social differentiation	Part of the second AQA core theme alongside power and stratification.	Connect identity with wider social differences where relevant.

Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake: Treating gender and sexuality as the same concept

Why this is incorrect: AQA lists gender and sexuality separately among the characteristics that must be related to identity.

How to improve: Learn accurate sociological explanations of each relationship and keep the two terms distinct.

Mistake: Treating gender identity as entirely individual

Why this is incorrect: AQA places gender within a topic where identity and difference must be understood as socially caused and socially constructed.

How to improve: Keep wider social processes visible when explaining gender and identity.

Mistake: Treating sexuality as fixed by definition because the specification mentions it

Why this is incorrect: The specification does not give such an explanation. Instead, sexuality appears within the broader requirement to examine identity socially.

How to improve: Use only claims supported by accurate sociological theory and evidence.

Mistake: Explaining social construction without linking it to identity

Why this is incorrect: The specification focus is not social construction in the abstract. It requires the self, identity and difference to be examined as socially caused and socially constructed.

How to improve: Always make explicit what is being socially constructed and how this relates to the question.

Mistake: Turning a gender identity answer entirely into an inequality answer

Why this is incorrect: Gender inequality appears elsewhere in the specification, but the specific Culture and Identity requirement concerns the relationship between gender and identity.

How to improve: Use inequality only where it helps address the identity focus of the question.

Mistake: Forgetting sexuality

Why this is incorrect: Sexuality is one of the seven characteristics explicitly identified in the Culture and Identity specification.

How to improve: Revise the complete list of identity relationships rather than focusing only on age, class, gender and ethnicity.

Mistake: Inventing named sociologists or studies

Why this is incorrect: The supplied specification does not identify particular theorists or studies for gendered and sexual identities.

How to improve: Only use named material that has been established as accurate and specification-compatible through your course resources.

Exam-Style Questions ✍️

The supplied specification establishes that gender and sexuality must be related to identity but does not provide detailed theories, named sociologists or evidence. These original questions therefore remain within the securely supported content.

Question 1

Identify one characteristic, other than gender, that AQA requires students to relate to identity. [1 mark]

Question 2

State the two ways in which AQA requires identity and difference to be understood. [2 marks]

Question 3

Outline two ways in which gender and sexuality fit within the wider Culture and Identity topic. [4 marks]

Question 4

Item A

A sociologist is studying gender identity in contemporary society. Rather than examining identity only as an individual characteristic, the researcher considers wider social influences and how identities may be constructed through social processes.

Using Item A, explain two ways in which this research reflects the AQA Culture and Identity specification. [6 marks]

Question 5

Item B

A sociologist investigating sexual identity examines how individuals' identities relate to wider society. The researcher is particularly interested in the distinction between social influences on identity and the idea that identities may be socially constructed.

Using Item B, explain two ways in which the research relates to the AQA Culture and Identity specification. [6 marks]

Question 6

Analyse two similarities in the position of gender and sexuality within the AQA Culture and Identity specification. [8 marks]

Question 7

Analyse how the study of gendered and sexual identities connects with socialisation, culture and identity. [8 marks]

Question 8

Evaluate the view that gendered and sexual identities can be understood independently of wider society. [10 marks]

Answers and indicative mark scheme

Question 1

Award 1 mark for any one of:

• age

• disability

• ethnicity

• nationality

• sexuality

• social class.

Question 2

Award 1 mark each for:

• socially caused

• socially constructed.

Total: 2 marks

Question 3

Award up to 2 marks for each developed point.

Possible content includes:

• Both gender and sexuality are explicit characteristics to which identity must be related.

• Both are studied in contemporary society.

• Both follow the requirement that identity and difference be examined as socially caused.

• Both can be considered within the requirement that identity and difference are socially constructed.

• Both belong within the wider core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

Two developed points are required for full marks.

Question 4

Possible applications include:

• Item A's focus on gender identity directly reflects AQA's requirement to relate identity to gender.

• Its consideration of wider social influences connects with identity and difference as socially caused.

• Its reference to identities being constructed through social processes applies the requirement concerning social construction.

• Its focus on contemporary society reflects the wording of the Culture and Identity specification.

• Rejecting an entirely individual explanation is consistent with placing identity within a wider sociological framework.

Higher marks require explicit application and development rather than simply matching keywords.

Question 5

Possible applications include:

• The research directly examines sexual identity, which is explicitly required by AQA.

• The reference to social influences can be linked to identity and difference being socially caused.

• The idea that identities may be socially constructed directly reflects the second part of AQA's identity requirement.

• The focus on individuals in relation to wider society connects with the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

Two developed applications are required for full marks.

Question 6

Possible similarities include:

Both are explicit dimensions of identity.

AQA requires students to examine the relationship of identity to both gender and sexuality.

Both are studied in contemporary society.

The specification places both within contemporary social life.

Both sit within the same conceptual framework.

Identity and difference must be examined as both socially caused and socially constructed.

Both connect with socialisation, culture and identity.

Higher-level answers should explain why these similarities matter for sociological understanding rather than simply list them.

Question 7

A developed answer could analyse the following sequence:

• Culture is one part of the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

• The Culture and Identity topic first requires different conceptions of culture.

• It then requires the socialisation process and agencies of socialisation.

• Students subsequently examine the self, identity and difference as socially caused and constructed.

• Gender and sexuality are then specified as two characteristics to which identity must be related.

This means gendered and sexual identities form part of a broader sociological examination of how individuals, identities and wider society are connected.

Higher-level analysis should make these relationships explicit rather than simply reproduce specification points.

Question 8

Arguments against the view could include:

• AQA requires identity and difference to be examined as socially caused.

• They must also be examined as socially constructed.

• Gender and sexuality are studied specifically as relationships with identity in contemporary society.

• Identity forms part of the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

• The socialisation process and agencies of socialisation are explicit Culture and Identity requirements.

• AQA expects links to be made between different areas of sociological content.

A balanced response could recognise that gender and sexuality remain distinct aspects of identity requiring focused sociological explanation.

However, the organisation of the specification places both firmly within a broader social context. An explanation treating gendered or sexual identity entirely as something separate from social influences would therefore fail to address important elements of the AQA specification.