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91-451: A girlfriend is a woman who is a friend , acquaintance or partner to the speaker, usually a female companion with whom one is platonically , romantically , or sexually involved . In a romantic context, this normally signifies a committed relationship where the individuals are not married . Other titles, for example " wife " or " partner ", usually signify that the individuals are legally married . The analogous term for men

182-414: A contract , marriage , voting , having a job , serving in the military , buying/possessing firearms , driving , traveling abroad, involvement with alcoholic beverages , smoking , sexual activity , gambling , being a model or actor in pornography , running for president , etc. Admission of a young person to a place may be restricted because of danger for that person, concern that the place may lead

273-400: A gender binary in which woman is one of the two genders, the other being man ; others have a third gender . Most women are cisgender , meaning they were assigned female at birth and have a female gender identity . Transgender women were assigned male at birth and have a female gender identity and may experience gender dysphoria (distress brought upon by the discrepancy between

364-407: A 'full' adult quite yet. Next, the instability feature notes that emerging adults often move around after their high school years whether that is to college, friends' houses, or living with a romantic partner, as well as moving back home with their parents/guardians for a time. This moving around often ends once the individual's family and career have been set. Tagging along with the instability feature

455-455: A combination of economic changes and the efforts of the feminist movement , in recent decades women in many societies have gained access to careers beyond the traditional homemaker . Despite these advances, modern women in Western society still face challenges in the workplace as well as with the topics of education, violence, health care, politics, and motherhood, and others. Sexism can be

546-402: A full, mentally developed, adult include traits of personal responsibilities in multiple aspects of life. Although few or no established dictionaries provide a definition for the two-word term biological adult , the first definition of adult in multiple dictionaries includes "the stage of the life cycle of an animal after reproductive capacity has been attained". Thus, the base definition of

637-580: A girl's coming of age , such as confirmation in some branches of Christianity , bat mitzvah in Judaism , or a custom of a special celebration for a certain birthday (generally between 12 and 21), like the quinceañera of Latin America. Male and female bodies have some differences . Some differences, such as the external sex organs , are visible, while other differences, such as internal anatomy and genetic characteristics, are not visible. Typically,

728-676: A good chance of turning out better than their parents did. According to Jewish tradition, adulthood is reached at age 13 for Jewish boys and 12 for Jewish girls in accordance with the Bar or Bat Mitzvah ; they are expected to demonstrate preparation for adulthood by learning the Torah and other Jewish practices. The Christian Bible and Jewish scripture contain no age requirement for adulthood or marrying , which includes engaging in sexual activity. The 1983 Code of Canon Law states, "A man before he has completed his sixteenth year of age, and likewise

819-610: A handgun from a federally licensed dealer (although federal law makes an exception for individuals between the ages of 18 and 20 to obtain one from a private dealer if state law permits.) As of July 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act mandated that all states raise their respective drinking ages to 21 to create a uniform standard for legally purchasing, drinking, or publicly possessing alcohol with exceptions made for consumption only in private residences under parental supervision and permission. This

910-473: A higher body fat composition, and are on average shorter and less muscular than men. Throughout human history , traditional gender roles within patriarchal societies have often defined and limited women's activities and opportunities, resulting in gender inequality ; many religious doctrines and legal systems stipulate certain rules for women. With restrictions loosening during the 20th century in many societies, women have gained wider access to careers and

1001-513: A main concern and barrier for women almost anywhere, though its forms, perception, and gravity vary between societies and social classes. There has been an increase in the endorsement of egalitarian gender roles in the home by both women and men. Although a greater number of women are seeking higher education, their salaries are often less than those of men. CBS News said in 2005 that in the United States women who are ages 30 to 44 and hold

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1092-594: A nutritious secretion that is the most distinctive characteristic of mammals, along with live birth. In mature women, the breast is generally more prominent than in most other mammals; this prominence, not necessary for milk production, is thought to be at least partially the result of sexual selection . Estrogens , which are primary female sex hormones, have a significant impact on a female's body shape. They are produced in both men and women, but their levels are significantly higher in women, especially in those of reproductive age. Besides other functions, estrogens promote

1183-456: A person has a romantic or sexual relationship". A similar, but not equivalent, concept is the more ambiguous " lady friend " – a companion of the female gender who is possibly less than a girlfriend but potentially more than a friend. That is to say, the relationship is not necessarily platonic, nor is it necessarily an exclusive, serious, committed, or long-term relationship. The term avoids the overt sexual implications that come with referring to

1274-425: A person may be biologically an adult, and have adult behavior, but still be treated as a child if they are under the legal age of majority. Conversely, one may legally be an adult but possess none of the maturity and responsibility that may define an adult character. In different cultures, there are events that relate passing from being a child to becoming an adult or coming of age . This often encompasses passing

1365-404: A person's gender identity and their sex assigned at birth). Gender dysphoria may be treated with gender-affirming care , which may include social or medical transition . Social transition may involve changes such as adopting a new name , hairstyle , clothing , and pronoun associated with the individual's affirmed female gender identity. A major component of medical transition for trans women

1456-542: A result, particular populations feel adult earlier in the life course than do others. Contemporary experiences of and research on young adults today substitute more seemingly subjective criteria for adulthood which resonate more soundly with young adults' experiences of aging. The criteria are marked by a growing "importance of individualistic criteria and the irrelevance of the demographic markers of normative conceptions of adulthood." In particular, younger cohorts' attainment of adulthood centers on three criteria: gaining

1547-868: A sense of responsibility, independent decision-making, and financial independence. Jeffrey Arnett, a psychologist and professor at Clark University in Massachusetts, studied the development of adults and argues that there is a new and distinct period of development in between adolescence and adulthood. This stage, which he calls "emerging adulthood", occurs between the ages of 18 and 25. Arnett describes these individuals as able to take some responsibility for their lives, but still not completely feeling like an adult. Arnett articulates five distinct features that are unique to this period of development: identity exploration, feeling in between, instability, self-focus, and having possibilities. Arnett makes it clear that these 5 aspects of emerging adulthood are only relevant during

1638-414: A series of tests to demonstrate that a person is prepared for adulthood, or reaching a specified age, sometimes in conjunction with demonstrating preparation. Most modern societies determine legal adulthood based on reaching a legally specified age without requiring a demonstration of physical maturity or preparation for adulthood. Historically and cross-culturally, adulthood has been determined primarily by

1729-458: A social construction is illustrated by the changing criteria of adulthood over time. Historically, adulthood in the U.S. has rested on completing one's education, moving away from the family of origin, and beginning one's career. Other key historical criteria include entering a marriage and becoming a parent. These criteria are social and subjective; they are organized by gender, race, ethnicity, and social class, among other key identity markers. As

1820-471: A source of income) that they can repay their credit card balance. Unless that requirement is met, one must wait until 21 to be approved for a credit card on their own. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 expands the age that young adults can remain on their parent's health insurance plan up to age 26. As of December 2019 , the federal government raised the legal age to purchase tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21. In states where recreational marijuana

1911-551: A university degree make 62% of what similarly qualified men do, a lower rate than in all but three of the 19 countries for which numbers are available. Some Western nations with greater inequality in pay are Germany, New Zealand and Switzerland. Particular religious doctrines have specific stipulations relating to gender roles , social and private interaction between the sexes, appropriate dressing attire for women, and various other issues affecting women and their position in society. In many countries, these religious teachings influence

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2002-419: A woman as someone's "mistress" or "lover". In that sense, it can often be a euphemism. The term can also sometimes be employed when someone simply does not know the exact status of a woman that a man has been associating with. For instance, tabloid headlines often note that a celebrity has been seen with a new "lady friend". "Lady friend" may also be used to signify a romantic relationship with an older woman, when

2093-852: A woman before she has completed her fourteenth year of age, cannot enter a valid marriage". According to The Disappearance of Childhood by Neil Postman , the Christian Church of the Middle Ages considered the age of accountability, when a person could be tried and even executed as an adult, to be age 7. While certain religions have their guidelines on what it means to be an adult, generally speaking, there are trends that occur regarding religiosity as individuals transition from adolescence to adulthood. The role of religion in one's life can impact development during adolescence. The National Library of Medicine (NCBI) highlights some studies that show rates of religiosity declining as people move out of

2184-409: A woman have changed significantly since the early 20th century as women gained more rights and greater representation in the workforce, with scholarship in the 1970s moving toward a focus on the sex–gender distinction and social construction of gender . There are various words used to refer to the quality of being a woman. The term "womanhood" merely means the state of being a woman; " femininity "

2275-403: A young age differed according to gender. Traditionally, middle class women were involved in domestic tasks emphasizing child care. For poorer women, economic necessity compelled them to seek employment outside the home even if individual poor women may have preferred domestic tasks. Many of the occupations that were available to them were lower in pay than those available to men. As changes in

2366-472: Is feminizing hormone therapy , which causes the development of female secondary sex characteristics (such as breasts , redistribution of body fat, and lower waist–hip ratio ). Medical transition may also involve gender-affirming surgery , and a trans woman may undergo one or more feminizing procedures which result in anatomy that is typically gendered female. Like cisgender women, trans women may have any sexual orientation. Factors that specifically affect

2457-404: Is " boyfriend ". Partners in committed relationships are also sometimes described as a "significant others " or simply "partner", especially if the individuals are cohabiting . "Girlfriend" and "partner" mean different things to different people and the distinctions between the terms are subjective. How the term is used will ultimately be determined by personal preference. In 2005, a study

2548-605: Is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Although femininity is socially constructed, some behaviors considered feminine are biologically influenced. The extent to which femininity is biologically or socially influenced is subject to debate. It is distinct from the definition of the biological female sex, as both men and women can exhibit feminine traits. The earliest women whose names are known include: In recent history, gender roles have changed greatly. At some earlier points in history, children's occupational aspirations starting at

2639-419: Is an established biological process, the attainment of adulthood is social in its criteria. In contrast to other perspectives that conceptualize aging and the attainment of adulthood as a largely universal development, regardless of context, nation, generation, gender, race, or social class. Social scientists regard these aspects as paramount in cultural definitions of adulthood. Further evidence of adulthood as

2730-506: Is being used. The time of puberty varies from child to child, but usually begins between 10 and 12 years old. Girls typically begin the process of puberty at age 10 or 11, and boys at age 11 or 12. Girls generally complete puberty by 15–17, and boys by age 16 or 17. Nutrition, genetics and environment also usually play a part in the onset of puberty. Girls will go through a growth spurt and gain weight in several areas of their body. Boys will go through similar spurts in growth, though it

2821-438: Is common. In most of the world, the legal adult age is 18 for most purposes, with some notable exceptions: Prior to the 1970s, young people were not classed as adults until 21 in most western nations. For example, in the United States, young citizens could not vote in many elections until 21 until July 1971 when the 26th Amendment passed mandating that the right to vote cannot be abridged for anyone 18 or older. The voting age

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2912-522: Is defined by WHO as "the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes." In 2008, noting that each year more than 500,000 women die of complications of pregnancy and childbirth and at least seven million experience serious health problems while 50 million more have adverse health consequences after childbirth,

3003-418: Is due to lower testosterone, which stimulates the production of erythropoietin by the kidney. The normal hematocrit level for a woman is 36% to 48% (for men, 41% to 50%). The normal level of hemoglobin (an oxygen-transport protein found in red blood cells) for women is 12.0 to 15.5 g/dL (for men, 13.5 to 17.5 g/dL). Women's hearts have finer-grained textures in the muscle compared to men's hearts, and

3094-766: Is generally longer than men's. This advantage begins from birth, with newborn girls more likely to survive the first year than boys. Worldwide, women live six to eight years longer than men. However, this varies by place and situation. For example, discrimination against women has lowered female life expectancy in some parts of Asia so that men there live longer than women. The difference in life expectancy are believed to be partly due to biological advantages and partly due to gendered behavioral differences between men and women. For example, women are less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors like smoking and reckless driving , and consequently have fewer preventable premature deaths from such causes. In some developed countries,

3185-413: Is having self-focus. Emerging adults, being away from their parental and societal routines, are now able to do what they want when they want and where they want before they are put back into a routine when they start a marriage, family, and career. Arnett's last feature of emerging adulthood, an age of possibilities, characterizes this stage as one where "optimism reigns". These individuals believe they have

3276-484: Is legalized, the default age is also 21, though those younger may be able to obtain medical marijuana prescriptions or cards upon seeing a physician. Gambling also varies from 18 to 21 depending on the state and many rental car companies do not rent cars to those under 21 and have surcharges for drivers under 25 (although this is not codified, and is company policy). In Quebec, Canada the Quebec legislature in 2020 raised

3367-401: Is not engaged to without indicating whether she is having sex with them. With differing expectations of sexual mores , the term "dating" can imply romantic activity whereas simply using "friend" would likely avoid implying such intimacy. It is essentially equivalent to the term "sweetheart", which has also been used as a term of endearment . A similar relationship wherein there is no exclusivity

3458-552: Is often controversial . Some intersex conditions are associated with typical rates of female gender identity , while others are associated with substantially higher rates of identifying as LGBT compared compared to the general population. Female sexuality and attraction are variable, and a woman's sexual behavior can be affected by many factors, including evolved predispositions , personality , upbringing , and culture . While most women are heterosexual , significant minorities are lesbian or bisexual . Most cultures use

3549-431: Is sometimes referred to by terms such as friend with benefits . As of 2007, The New York Times style guide discouraged the use of the term "girlfriend" for an adult romantic partner: "Companion is a suitable term for an unmarried partner of the same or the opposite sex." The Times received some criticism for referring to Shaha Riza as the "girlfriend" of World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz in one article about

3640-483: Is the requirement of supervision by a legal guardian , or just by an adult. Sometimes there is no requirement, but rather a recommendation. Using the example of pornography, one can distinguish between: With regard to films with violence, etc.: The age of majority ranges internationally from ages 15 to 21, with 18 being the most common age. Nigeria , Mali , Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon define adulthood at age 15, but marriage of girls at an earlier age

3731-462: Is used in terms of very close friends and has no sexual connotations, unless it, for example, is in the case of lesbian , bisexual or pansexual women. The term "girlfriend" is also used in LGBT communities and can refer to people of any sex or sexuality. The term "girlfriend" does not necessarily imply a sexual relationship, but is often used to refer to a girl or woman who is dating a person she

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3822-461: Is used to refer to a set of typical female qualities associated with a certain attitude to gender roles ; "womanliness" is like "femininity", but is usually associated with a different view of gender roles. "Distaff" is an archaic adjective derived from women's conventional role as a spinner, now used only as a deliberate archaism . Menarche, the onset of menstruation , occurs on average at age 12–13. Many cultures have rites of passage to symbolize

3913-510: Is usually not in a similar style or time frame. This is due to the natural processes of puberty, but genetics also plays a part in how much weight they gain or how much taller they get. One recent area of debate within the science of brain development is the most likely chronological age for full mental maturity , or indeed, if such an age even exists. Common claims repeated in the media since 2005 (based upon interpretations of imaging data) have commonly suggested an "end-point" of 25, referring to

4004-471: The Norman Conquest , man began to mean ' male human ' , and by the late 13th century it had largely replaced wer . The consonants /f/ and /m/ in wīfmann coalesced into the modern woman , while wīf narrowed to specifically mean a married woman ( ' wife ' ). It is a popular misconception that the term "woman" is etymologically connected to "womb". "Womb" derives from

4095-776: The criminal law , or the family law of those jurisdictions (see Sharia law , for example). The relation between religion, law and gender equality has been discussed by international organizations. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines "violence against women" as: any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. Adult Human adulthood encompasses psychological adult development . Definitions of adulthood are often inconsistent and contradictory;

4186-643: The heart muscle 's overall shape and surface area also differs to men's when controlling for body size and age. In addition, women's hearts age more slowly compared to men's hearts. Girls are born slightly less frequently than boys (the ratio is around 1:1.05). Out of the total human population in 2015, there were 1018 men for every 1000 women. Intersex women have an intersex condition, usually defined as those born with ambiguous genitalia . Most individuals with ambiguous genitalia are assigned female at birth, and most intersex women are cisgender . The medical practices to assign binary female to intersex youth

4277-420: The 1970s, many female academics, including scientists, avoided having children. Throughout the 1980s, institutions tried to equalize conditions for men and women in the workplace. Even so, the inequalities at home hampered women's opportunities: professional women were still generally considered responsible for domestic labor and child care, which limited the time and energy they could devote to their careers. Until

4368-508: The Industrial Revolution, children went to work as soon as they could in order to help provide for their family. There was not a huge emphasis on school or education in general. Many children could get a job and were not required to have experience as adults are nowadays. Adulthood, in more recent years, as it has been studied has developed a characteristic list, that goes far beyond just ones physical maturity. These markers for

4459-522: The Old English word wamb meaning ' belly, uterus ' (cognate to the modern German colloquial term " Wamme " from Old High German wamba for ' belly, paunch, lap ' ). The word woman can be used generally, to mean any female human, or specifically, to mean an adult female human as contrasted with girl . The word girl originally meant "young person of either sex" in English; it

4550-467: The State of Washington tossed the life without parole sentences of a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old convicted in separate cases of first-degree aggravated murder decades ago, saying, as with juveniles, the court must first consider the age of those under 21 before sentencing them to die behind bars. This comes at a time where there are ongoing debates about whether those between 18 and 20 should be exempted from

4641-620: The US ranked 12th of the 14 developed countries that were analyzed and since that time the death rates of every country have steadily improved while the US rate has spiked dramatically. While the others that were analyzed in 1990 show a 2017 death rate of fewer than 10 deaths per every 100,000 live births, the U.S. rate rose to 26.4. Furthermore, for every one of the 700 to 900 women who die in the U.S. each year during pregnancy or childbirth, 70 experience significant complications, totaling more than one percent of all births. The life expectancy for women

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4732-937: The World Health Organization urged midwife training to strengthen maternal and newborn health services. To support the upgrading of midwifery skills the WHO established a midwife training program, Action for Safe Motherhood. In 2017, 94% of maternal deaths occur in low and lower middle-income countries. Approximately 86% of maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia , with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for around 66% and Southern Asia accounting for around 20%. The main causes of maternal mortality include pre-eclampsia and eclampsia , unsafe abortion , pregnancy complications from malaria and HIV/AIDS , and severe bleeding and infections following childbirth. Most European countries, Australia, Japan, and Singapore are very safe in regard to childbirth. In 1990,

4823-549: The ability to pursue higher education. Violence against women , whether within families or in communities, has a long history and is primarily committed by men. Some women are denied reproductive rights . The movements and ideologies of feminism have a shared goal of achieving gender equality . Transgender women were assigned male at birth and have a female gender identity , while intersex women have sex characteristics that do not fit typical notions of female biology. The spelling of woman in English has progressed over

4914-463: The accessory glands ( Bartholin's and Skene's ), two pairs of glands that help lubricate during intercourse, and the vagina , an organ used in copulating and birthing. The vulva (external female genitalia) consists of the clitoris , labia majora , labia minora and vestibule . The vestibule is where the vaginal and urethral openings are located. The mammary glands are hypothesized to have evolved from apocrine-like glands to produce milk,

5005-497: The age of 16 although they cannot purchase spirits or hard liquor until 18. The age of consent in Germany is 14 if both partners are under 18. Sexual activity with a person under 18 is punishable if the adult is a person of authority over the minor in upbringing, education, care, or employment. In contrast to biological perspectives of aging and adulthood, social scientists conceptualize adulthood as socially constructed. While aging

5096-445: The age of 30 years, marking this interpretation as incorrect and outdated. Legally, adulthood typically means that one has reached the age of majority – when parents lose parental rights and responsibilities regarding the person concerned. Depending on one's jurisdiction, the age of majority may or may not be set independently of and should not be confused with the minimum ages applicable to other activities, such as engaging in

5187-464: The age one could purchase recreational marijuana from 18 to 21 stepping out of line with most of the country that set a minimum age of 19 (except Alberta, which is 18.) The Quebec government cited the risk that marijuana poses to the brain development of people under 21 as justification for the age raise. In March 2021, the state of Washington in a 5–4 decision, justices in the Supreme Court of

5278-505: The age that one can buy tobacco from 18 to 21 in an attempt to curb teen and young adult use to get to a "smoke-free" UK by 2030. All of these laws made over the years reflect the growing awareness that young adults, while not children, are still in a transitional stage between adolescence and full adulthood and that there should be policy adjustments or restrictions where necessary, especially where it pertains to activities that carry certain degrees of risk or harm to themselves or others. At

5369-431: The aid of their parents or guardians to fully mature. Sometimes humans have multiple births , most commonly twins . Usually between ages 49–52, a woman reaches menopause , the time when menstrual periods stop permanently, and they are no longer able to bear children. Unlike most other mammals, the human lifespan usually extends many years after menopause. Many women become grandmothers and contribute to

5460-448: The care of grandchildren and other family members. Many biologists believe that the extended human lifespan is evolutionarily driven by kin selection , though other theories have also been proposed. In terms of biology , the female sex organs are involved in the reproductive system, whereas the secondary sex characteristics are involved in breastfeeding children and attracting a mate. Humans are placental mammals , which means

5551-533: The cells of female humans contain two X chromosomes, while the cells of male humans have an X and a Y chromosome. During early fetal development , all embryos have phenotypically female genitalia up until week 6 or 7, when a male embryo's gonads differentiate into testes due to the action of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome. Sex differentiation proceeds in female humans in a way that is independent of gonadal hormones. Because humans inherit mitochondrial DNA only from

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5642-567: The controversy over their relationship. Other news articles in the Times had generally referred to her as Wolfowitz's "companion". The 2015 edition of the New York Times Manual of Style states, however, that the view on the term "girlfriend" as being informal is now relegated to the realm of traditionalism, and that it has become accepted to use "girlfriend" and "boyfriend" to describe people of all ages (with consideration given to

5733-486: The death penalty. In Germany, courts largely sentence defendants under the age of 21 according to juvenile law in a bid to help them reintegrate into society and mete out punishments that fit the crime as well as the offender. In May 2021, the state of Texas raised the age that one can be an exotic dancer and work and patronize sexually oriented businesses from 18 to 21. In the UK, there have been many proposals to raise

5824-438: The development of female secondary sexual characteristics , such as breasts and hips . As a result of estrogens, during puberty , girls develop breasts and their hips widen. Working against estrogen, the presence of testosterone in a pubescent female inhibits breast development and promotes muscle and facial hair development. Women have lower hematocrit (the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood) than men; this

5915-491: The drinking age (with most states having a minimum age of 18 or 19) and also to lower the age of legal majority (adulthood) to 18. However, there are legal activities where 18 is not the default age of adulthood. There are still some exceptions where 21 (or even higher) is still the benchmark for certain rights or responsibilities. For example, in the US the Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibits those under 21 from purchasing

6006-473: The early 20th century, U.S. women's colleges required their women faculty members to remain single, on the grounds that a woman could not carry on two full-time professions at once. According to Schiebinger, "Being a scientist and a wife and a mother is a burden in society that expects women more often than men to put family ahead of career." (p. 93). Movements advocate equality of opportunity for both sexes and equal rights irrespective of gender. Through

6097-418: The eggs with sperm , via either sexual intercourse or artificial insemination , though in vitro fertilization allows fertilization to occur outside the human body. Humans are similar to other large mammals in that they usually give birth to a single offspring per pregnancy, but are unusual in being altricial compared to most other large mammals, meaning young are undeveloped at time of birth and require

6188-537: The female fetus is governed by the lack of a present, or functioning, SRY gene on either one of the respective sex chromosomes. Female anatomy is distinguished from male anatomy by the female reproductive system , which includes the ovaries , fallopian tubes , uterus , vagina , and vulva . An adult woman generally has a wider pelvis , broader hips , and larger breasts than an adult man . These characteristics facilitate childbirth and breastfeeding . Women typically have less facial and other body hair, have

6279-620: The health of women in comparison with men are most evident in those related to reproduction , but sex differences have been identified from the molecular to the behavioral scale. Some of these differences are subtle and difficult to explain, partly due to the fact that it is difficult to separate the health effects of inherent biological factors from the effects of the surrounding environment they exist in. Sex chromosomes and hormones, as well as sex-specific lifestyles, metabolism, immune system function, and sensitivity to environmental factors are believed to contribute to sex differences in health at

6370-477: The labor market for women came about, availability of employment changed from only "dirty", long hour factory jobs to "cleaner", more respectable office jobs where more education was demanded. Married women's participation in the U.S. labor force rose from 5.6–6% in 1900 to 23.8% in 1923. These shifts in the labor force led to changes in the attitudes towards women at work, allowing for the revolution which resulted in women becoming career and education oriented. In

6461-449: The levels of physiology, perception, and cognition. Women can have distinct responses to drugs and thresholds for diagnostic parameters. Some diseases primarily affect or are exclusively found in women, such as lupus , breast cancer , cervical cancer , or ovarian cancer . The medical practice dealing with female reproduction and reproductive organs is called gynaecology ("science of women"). Maternal mortality or maternal death

6552-1141: The life expectancy is evening out. This is believed to caused both by worse health behaviors among women, especially an increased rate of smoking tobacco by women , and improved health among men, such as less cardiovascular disease . The World Health Organization (WHO) writes that it is "important to note that the extra years of life for women are not always lived in good health." Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health . The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics has stated that: The World Health Organization reports that based on data from 2010 to 2014, 56 million induced abortions occurred worldwide each year (25% of all pregnancies). Of those, about 25 million were considered as unsafe . The WHO reports that in developed regions about 30 women die for every 100,000 unsafe abortions and that number rises to 220 deaths per 100,000 unsafe abortions in developing regions and 520 deaths per 100,000 unsafe abortions in sub-Saharan Africa. The WHO ascribes these deaths to: Femininity (also called womanliness or girlishness )

6643-506: The life stage of emerging adulthood. The first feature, identity exploration, describes emerging adults making decisions for themselves about their career, education, and love life. This is a time of life when a young person has yet to finalize these decisions but are pondering them, making them feel somewhere in between adolescent and adult. This leads into a second feature of this phase of life—feeling in between. Emerging adults feel that they are taking on responsibilities but do not feel like

6734-427: The mother carries the fetus in the uterus and the placenta facilitates the exchange of nutrients and waste between the mother and fetus. The internal female genitalia consist of the ovaries , gonads that produce female gametes called ova , the fallopian tubes , tubular structures that transport the egg cells, the uterus , an organ with tissue to protect and nurture the developing fetus and its cervix to expel it,

6825-623: The mother's ovum, genealogical researchers can trace maternal lineage far back in time. Female puberty triggers bodily changes that enable sexual reproduction via fertilization . In response to chemical signals from the pituitary gland , the ovaries secrete hormones that stimulate maturation of the body, including increased height and weight, body hair growth, breast development and menarche (the onset of menstruation). Most girls go through menarche between ages 12–13, and are then capable of becoming pregnant and bearing children . Pregnancy generally requires internal fertilization of

6916-498: The past millennium from wīfmann to wīmmann to wumman , and finally, the modern spelling woman . In Old English , mann had the gender-neutral meaning of ' human ' , akin to the Modern ' person ' or ' someone ' . The word for ' woman ' was wīf or wīfmann ( lit.   ' woman-person ' ) whereas ' man ' was wer or wǣpnedmann (from wǣpn ' weapon; penis ' ). However, following

7007-424: The person to immoral behavior, or because of the risk that the young person causes damage (for example, at an exhibition of fragile items). One can distinguish the legality of acts of a young person, or of enabling a young person to carry out that act, by selling, renting out, showing, permitting entrance, allowing participation, etc. There may be distinction between commercially and socially enabling. Sometimes there

7098-484: The preferences of the people involved). According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the earliest meaning of the word "girlfriend", from 1859 on, was to designate "a female friend; esp. a woman's close female friend". This was to distinguish from "friend" alone, which was being used by women to denote a male suitor, beau, or companion. In the late 1800s, it took on the meaning of "A female with whom

7189-407: The prefrontal cortex as one area that is not yet fully mature at the age of 18. However, this is based on an interpretation of a brain imaging study by Jay Giedd, dating back to 2004 or 2005, where the only participants were aged up to 21 years, and Giedd assumed this maturing process would be done by the age of 25 years, whereas more recent studies show prefrontal cortex maturation continuing well past

7280-403: The right to vote in school board elections. There is a growing movement to lower the voting age in the US and many other countries from 18 to 16 in hopes of engaging the youth vote and encouraging greater electoral participation. Some countries already have a voting age of 16 which include Austria, Scotland, Argentina, Brazil, Wales, Cuba, and Ecuador. In Germany, one can purchase beer and wine at

7371-492: The same time, however, even though the generally accepted age of majority is 18 in most nations, there are rights or privileges afforded to adolescents who have not yet reached legal adulthood. In the United States, youth are able to get a part-time job at 14 provided they have a work permit. At 16, one is able to obtain a driver's permit or license depending on state laws and is able to work most jobs (except ones requiring heavy machinery) and consent to sexual activity (depending on

7462-429: The start of puberty (the appearance of secondary sex characteristics such as menstruation and the development of breasts in women, ejaculation , the development of facial hair, and a deeper voice in men, and pubic hair in both sexes). In the past, a person usually moved from the status of child directly to the status of adult, often with this shift being marked by some type of coming-of-age test or ceremony. During

7553-570: The state). At 17, one is able to enlist in the armed forces with parental consent although they cannot be deployed to be in combat roles until age 18. The voting age for local elections in most American cities is 18. But in five localities nationwide — four of which are in Maryland — 16 and 17-year-olds are eligible to vote. The cities are Takoma Park, Riverdale, Greenbelt, and Hyattsville. In 2020, students 16 or older in Oakland, California gained

7644-458: The term "girl" as in "girlfriend" may be deemed age-inappropriate. Woman A woman is an adult female human . Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl . Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes , one from each parent, and fertile women are capable of pregnancy and giving birth from puberty until menopause . More generally, sex differentiation of

7735-429: The two is a significant aspect of adolescent development. Both forms of "girlfriend" and "girl friend" are used by different people to mean different things. For example, when the term "girlfriend" is used by a woman about another woman in a non- sexual , non- romantic context, the two-word form "girl friend" is sometimes used to avoid confusion with the sexual or romantic meaning. In this sense of its usage, "girlfriend"

7826-408: The word adult is the period beginning at physical sexual maturity, which occurs sometime after the onset of puberty. Although this is the primary definition of the base word "adult", the term is also frequently used to refer to social adults. The two-word term biological adult stresses or clarifies that the original definition, based on physical maturity (i.e. having reached reproductive competency),

7917-432: The word girl (or its equivalent in other languages) is still used to refer to a never-married woman; in this sense it is used in a fashion roughly analogous to the more-or-less obsolete English maid or maiden . Different countries have different laws, but age 18 is frequently considered the age of majority (the age at which a person is legally considered an adult). The social sciences' views on what it means to be

8008-437: Was conducted of 115 people ages 21 to 35 who were either living with or had lived with a romantic partner. It notes that the lack of proper terms often leads to awkward situations, such as someone becoming upset over not being introduced in a social situation to avoid the question of their relationship . There exists some ambiguity between the terms "girl friend," or a friend who is female, and "girlfriend." The transition between

8099-401: Was done in response to reducing the number of drunk driving fatalities prevalent among young drivers. States that choose not to comply can lose up to 10% of highway funding. The Credit Card Act of 2009 imposed tougher safeguards for young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 obtaining a credit card. Young adults under the age of 21 must either have a co-signer 21 or older or show proof (usually

8190-484: Was lowered in response to the fact that young men between the ages of 18 and 21 were drafted into the army to fight in the Vietnam War, hence the popular slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" Young people under 21 in the US could also not purchase alcohol, purchase handguns, sign a binding contract, or marry without permission from parents. After the voting age was lowered, many states also moved to lower

8281-502: Was only around the beginning of the 16th century that it came to mean specifically a female child. The term girl is sometimes used colloquially to refer to a young or unmarried woman; however, during the early 1970s, feminists challenged such use because the use of the word to refer to a fully grown woman may cause offence. In particular, previously common terms such as office girl are no longer widely used. Conversely, in certain cultures which link family honor with female virginity ,

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