ABSTRACT
This chapter examines gender as a cultural construct and the importance of distinguishing biological (or natural) and cultural factors in defining and talking about the differences between men and women. Cases are selected from Burma-Thailand, Malaysia-Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam to examine both the socio-economic and psychocultural dimensions of gender and some of the consequences for gender relations of economic globalization and the increasing involvement of women in factory employment. Gender relations in the Philippines have been extensively documented, and not only by anthropologists. Fortunately an abundance of anthropological work is available in the literature on this question of gendered demeanour and in particular on the gender-expression of mixed sexes. The persisting role of 'tradition', for instance in marriage and householding, has been suggested. While the three sexes male, female and neuter are not explicitly detailed sexually, they are given sex-linked characteristics in terms of Buddhist 'suffering'.
