Definition

1. Noun:
   • The separation of people based on their biological sex: This refers to the practice, policy, or condition of separating males and females in various aspects of public and private life.
   • A system or practice of excluding one sex from participation in certain institutions, activities, or spaces: This often involves the physical or social separation of men and women.

Usage

• Sex segregation is typically used to describe formal or institutional policies, such as in education, employment, housing, or public facilities.
• It is a neutral sociological term describing a state of separation. The evaluation of the practice (e.g., as protective or discriminatory) depends on context.

Examples

• The school district ended its policy of sex segregation in physical education classes.
• Some cultures practice sex segregation in social gatherings.
• The lawsuit challenged the sex segregation in the workplace, arguing it limited career advancement for women.

Advanced Usage

• De facto sex segregation: Segregation that occurs in practice without being officially mandated by law or policy.
  • Despite no official rules, de facto sex segregation was evident in the company's engineering department.
• Sex-segregated data: Information or statistics that are collected and presented separately for males and females.
  • The health report provided sex-segregated data on heart disease rates.

Variants and Related Words

• Segregate (verb): To separate or set apart from others.
• Segregated (adjective): Characterized by or practicing separation.
• Gender segregation: A related term often used interchangeably in modern contexts, though it sometimes refers to separation based on gender identity rather than biological sex.

Synonyms

• Separation by sex
• Sexual separation
• Gender separation (in many contexts)

Antonyms

• Sex integration
• Coeducation (specifically in educational contexts)
• Gender mixing

Related Phrases

• Single-sex education: A form of sex segregation where schools or classes are separated by sex.
  • The debate over the benefits of single-sex education continues.
• Sex-segregated spaces: Areas designated for use by only one sex, such as restrooms, locker rooms, or dormitories.
  • The new building plan includes clearly marked sex-segregated spaces.

Noun

1. the traditional Hindu or Muslim system of keeping women secluded