ABSTRACT
The examination of sex and gender differences continues to receive attention by social science and generates a large and intense atmosphere of controversy. The importance of gender to the lives of individuals and the practice of social science reflects the real concerns of individuals and social institutions about the importance of a sex-gender identity. Although the research community emphasizes the concept, the current and historical reservoir of empirical research findings fails to provide evidence justifying continued reliance on this variable as a means of fundamentally understanding human communication. Given a background of disappointment in establishing large and routine empirical sex and gender differences, this chapter examines questions about the future of sex and gender research considering both methodological and ethical implications.
