The terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, but they are different. Sex distinguishes biological males and females. Gender does include sex, but it also includes common behavioral characteristics, language used to describe gender, clothes, and other things used to refer to the genders.

These are learned through social interactions generalized by sex, often referred to as masculine (he’s tough; he’s good at math; he’s a construction worker or doctor) and feminine (she’s nurturing; she’s good at English; she’s a secretary or nurse). There are also negative terms used to pressure people into conforming to gender stereotypes (he’s a sissy; she’s a tomboy).

We need to be aware of gender stereotypes and not judge others because they don’t fit into our view of how males and females should look and act. Sexual orientation is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures.

According to the EEOC, harassment and sexual harassment are sex discrimination that includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This conduct constitutes sexual harassment when it explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

To keep it simple, for our purposes, sexual harassment is any unwelcomed behavior of a sexual nature. There are two major types. Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when sexual consent affects job outcomes, such as getting a job or assignment or promotion, or keeping one’s job. Hostile work environment sexual harassment occurs when unwelcomed sexual behavior creates an intimidating and offensive workplace for anyone.