Lame sort of gender (4)
I believe the answer is:
male
'gender' is the definition.
(I have seen 'A gender ' mean 'male' so perhaps 'gender' could also mean 'male')
'lame sort' is the wordplay.
'sort' indicates anagramming the letters.
'lame' is an anagram of 'MALE'.
'of' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for male that I've seen before include "A gender" , "As are drakes, bulls etc." , "One cannot have babies" , "Maldives capital; masculine" , "Lame sort of fellow" .)