What is the role of gender in George Orwell's 1984?

The Party attempts to make gender irrelevant.  The whole purpose of gender is to procreate and to have the family unit.  The Party has successfully obliterated the need for both of these by implanting in the girls' heads that sex is wrong and shameful, the Party ensures that none of them will be having sex.  The Party also successfully degrades the family unit and bonds between spouses, children, neighbors and friends by creating spy networks of people to report the anti-Party speech and behavior of those closest around them.  Much like the Nazi-Youth, the children have been encouraged to watch and report on their parents and those who live nearby.  The entire community operates solely on fear--regardless of gender.