Man is understood to be any human being of the masculine sex, as opposed to those of the feminine sex classified under the term woman. Within the male category, those of child, adolescent and adult can be counted. Often the term man is also used to refer to the humanity in general or the individual in society, without distinction of sex or age. Thus, anthropology is the social science that deals with the study of man as a human being.
Science in general, and taxonomy in particular, prefers to reserve the term "man"for the biological species (Homo sapiens sapiens) and use the terminology of "male" to emphasize the male gender. However, everyday use has imposed the word "man"for both meanings in practically all languages.
From the biological point of view, a man is that human being who, as a result of the fertilization of the ovum by the sperm cell, carries the XY chromosomes. Thus, in the anatomical aspect, the man will have a reproductive system made up of the following sexual organs: penis, testicles, vas deferens and prostate. The function of these organs is to produce sperm-bearing semen that can join a woman's egg during fertilization. Specifically, the testes are responsible for both the secretion of hormones (mainly androgens) and the production of male sperm or gametes. The vas deferens and the epipidymis are tubes along which these sperm mature; substances are secreted in the prostate that complete the formation of semen. Finally, the penis is the organ in charge of copulation to allow mature sperm to carry out fertilization. In modern science, Andrology is the branch of Urology, and of medical sciences in general, which is responsible for the study of sexual functions and male reproduction, with the purpose of treating, among others, erection disorders , premature ejaculation, infertility and the so-called hypogonadism.
In general, the term is used puberty to describe those conditions that mark the transition from a male child to an adult male, who can be referred to as a carrier of characteristics of masculinity or virility, although many of these have a social and cultural background that evolves according to the times and contexts of each nation.
In turn, long debates have taken place in the history of humanity and to this day regarding what is masculine and what is not. What is known as sexism it is a cultural form that supports a hegemony of the masculine over the feminine, and thus suggests the virtue and hierarchy of men over women in different fields of the social order. For example, certain political, social or religious roles have historically been the domain of the male gender, either by norms or regulations, or by tradition or cultural disposition. Different groups of men in the world have initiated exploits in pursuit of equal rights with respect to women, based on what they consider to be a cultural pressure to show themselves superior, more skilled or prepared for certain social situations.
It is in this framework where medical science has historically distinguished between chromosomal sex (XY to define a male), genital sex (presence of penis and testicles) and "social or cultural" sex. In the current sociological interpretation, this last idea has been replaced by the so-called "gender". Thus, a series of attitudes and cultural models are distinguished that define the "male gender", with some attributes of the "male gender".man"From this perspective, many of the cultural or social differences between men and women have diminished or even disappeared; at present, it is possible to distinguish men performing tasks traditionally reserved for women, as well as the reverse phenomenon. For the first For example, the new role of men is recognized at the culinary level and in activities related to aesthetics or beautification. In return, women are verified in a growing role in the health sciences or in positions of union or political representation Therefore, the definition of "man"or" woman "reaches unusual levels of complexity compared to other stages of history, and must encompass both the classic aspects of biology and anatomy as well as the novelties in relation to psychological, behavioral, social, cultural and anthropological aspects.
