What term refers to a fixed belief about gender that applies to all people?

• A. Gender stereotyping
• B. Gender identity
• C. Sexism
• D. Gender fluidity

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is fixed beliefs about gender that are applied to everyone. This happens when people assume all members of a gender share the same traits, abilities, or roles and treat them as if that stereotype must fit every individual. That is what gender stereotyping describes: broad generalizations about what men or women are like, regardless of personal differences.

In contrast, gender identity is about a person’s own sense of their gender, sexism refers to unfair treatment based on gender, and gender fluidity is the idea that gender can be experienced as varying rather than fixed. So the term that best fits a fixed belief about gender that applies to all people is gender stereotyping. For example, believing all boys must prefer sports or all girls must be nurturing fits this idea.