Doing Gender

Doing Gender
Candace West; Don H. Zimmerman
Gender and Society, Vol. 1, No. 2. (Jun., 1987), pp. 125-151.
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DOING GENDER
C ANDACE W E S T
Uniuersity of California, Santa Cruz

D ON H . Z IMMERMAN
U niuersity of California, Santa Barbara

T h e purpose of this article is to advance a new understanding of gender as a routine
accomplishment embedded in c vcryday i nteraction. T o d o so entails a critical
assessment of existing perspectives on sex and g e n h and the introduction of
important distinctionsamongsex, sex catcgo~y,gender. W e argue that recognition
and
of the analytical i n d c p u i m c e of these concepb is essential for understanding the
interactional work involved in being a gendered person in society. T h e thrust of our
remarks is toward theoretical reconccptualiration, but we c o n s i h fruitful dircctiom
for empirical research that are indicated by o ur formulation.

I n the beginning, therewas sex and there was gender. Those of us
who taught courses in the area in the late 1960s and early 1970s were
careful to distinguish one from the other. Sex, we told students, was
what was ascribed by biology: anatomy, hormones, and physiology.
Gender, we said, was a n achieved status: that which is constructed
through psychological, cultural, and social means. T o introduce thedifference between the two, we drew o n singular case studies of
hermaphrodites (Money 1968, 1974; Money and Ehrhardt 1972) and
anthropological investigations of "strange and exotic tribes" (Mead
1963, 1968).
Inevitably (and understandably), in the ensuing weeks of each
term, our students became confused. Sex hardly seemed a "given" in
A U T H O R S ' N OTE: T h i s article is based i n part o n apaperpresented at the Annual
Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Chicago, September1977. For thetr
helpful suggestions and encouragement, we thank Lynda Ames, Betttna Aptheker,
Stcucn Clayman, Judith G o s o n , the late Ewing Goffman, Marilyn Lester, Judtth
Lorber, Robin Lloyd, Wayne Melltnger, Beth E. S chneido, Banie Thorne, Thornasp.
Wilson, and most espectally, SarahFenstermaker Berk.
G ENDER & SOCIETY. Vol. I N o. 2. Junc 1987 125.151
1987 Sodologists for Worncn in Sodcty

0

126

G ENDER & SOCIETY / J une 1987

the context of research that illustrated the sometimes ambiguous and
often conflicting aiteria for its ascription. And gender seemed much
less an "achievement" in the context of the anthropological, psychological, and social imperatives we...