Various medical conditions that do not fit the binary norms of the reproductive systems are considered as intersex. Intersex individuals may have pronounced male or female reproductive anatomy but are mismatched internally. They may also have anatomies that phenotypically differ than the normal. Some consider patients whose injured genitals were reconstructed and reared following the newly-assigned genitalia as intersex (Diamond and Beh, 2008). A conservative count of about 1 in 1,500 to 1 in 2,000 births are identified as intersex births but may vary depending on the condition at infancy and in late diagnoses of specific intersex conditions (Blackless et al, 2000).
Problems arise as intersex individuals mature as they come to realize their unconventional bodies, at the same time, trying to establish their own person and identities. Medical management of intersex individuals are at the forefront of both problems and solutions as conditions can sometimes be kept in secrecy (Diamond and Beh, 2008). It is then the aim of this paper to define intersex and those impacted by these conditions. Intersex individuals are marginalized people who struggle for acceptance, want to establish their gender identity and strive for social equality.
The difficulty of being intersex begins at infancy. Doubtful sex cannot be conclusively diagnosed at birth. No straightforward remedy can be learned by clinicians in remedying intersex infants but most rely on the histological appearance of the
In the film “Dr. Money and the Boy with No Penis,” the story about a Nature vs. Nurture case study, had theorized that a child nurtured to believe he was a girl with no issues of gender confusion because gender is learned. By doing so a child who is intersex or transgender can grow up to have learned their gender. The late 60s and early 70s offered little two know on how genetics or social learning that takes place that helps reinforce gender differentiation, although the beginning of the video the newest surgeries for sex change had become new it wasn't the right choice for David. Dr. money had wanted his theory of gender neutrality to prove true, Money’s based publication of this early sex change and nurturing of Baby David into a girl had
In this section of chapter 3 Georgian Davis talks about the power the medical field had on the topic of the intersex body. Georgina set up an interview at a pediatric medical center with Dr. I who was a well-known expert of the intersex body. After the publication of the “Consensus Statement of Management of Intersex Disorders” intersex language had been replaced with the terminology DSD (Disorders of Sex Development) in the medical profession. As mentioned in chapter 2 she reiterates critiques that the medical field have undergone based on their inability to diagnose honesty to people with intersex traits. She noted that the medical profession can either do harm or good to the intersex community based on its position in the level of gender structure. In the medical profession, there was not always a form of naming abnormalities. It began with the Greeks and continued into the 18th century until they created a classification of the many medical traits. Sociologist Phil Brown argues that for there to be diagnostics there has two be two parts to complete it. One the diagnosis is technique which includes forming the classification by using various tasks and techniques. While the work diagnosis includes clinical evaluations and task. By using this form of diagnosis, we can better understand intersexuality.
The patient reported that he had never felt comfortable in his own skin and was exclusively attracted to females (Bradley, S.J., Oliver, G. D., Chernick, A. B,, & Zucker, K. J., 1998). This case study displays that genetic factors have a higher effect on gender identity than modeling or parental rearing. Despite the social and environmental factors rearing her to be a girl he always showed his masculinity. This study is interesting and should also be included in transsexual studies.
Chapter five dealt with biological sexes and gender. The chapter begins by stating that there are more than two sexes, contrary to popular belief. There are at least three sexes: male, female, and intersex individuals, who have genital ambiguity. Most of this chapter discussed the difficulties of intersex individuals’ face in the society. These individuals are often ignored or forced to live their life ashamed of their bodies. In the United States these individuals are seen as abnormality, or medical accidents, that are to be corrected through surgery. In many instances the surgeries make the individual a female by removing any male anatomy within them. This is performed since many believe that gender identity is solely developed by environmental
Buttcher introduces John Money’s theory which entails that if an intersex persons genitals are mutulated to the proffered sex at birth he or she will accept their gender. Buttcher explains that this would be untrue and people with such surgeries would feel cheated and deeply pained by such invasive non-consensual surgeries.
Methods We describe a six years old child was presented at birth with ambiguous genitalia and was diagnosed as congenital adrenal hyperplasia based on clinical findings, laboratory testing and chromosomal analysis; and was assigned a female gender and managed accordingly. At the age of six years the patient was referred
Excessive androgen levels in the female may affect primary sexual characteristics by masculinizing the fetal external genitalia to produce female pseudohermaphroditism or secondary sexual characteristics by inducing changes similar to those characteristic of male puberty to produce virilization. Therefore, female pseudohermaphroditism is a condition in which the gonadal sex is female, but the external genitalia are masculinized. Ambiguous female genitalia occur only when excessive androgens are present during fetal life, and the degree of masculinization is dependent on the timing of exposure to these androgens. If the fetus is exposed after the 12th week, when the vagina and urethra have separated, only clitoral hypertrophy occurs. If androgen
Anne Fausto-Sterling further separates sex from sexual identity by discussing the experiences of intersex individuals. Despite what society expects of those who don’t neatly fit into the binary, intersex individuals generally manage to live happy lives. After this reading, it seems ridiculous that society has been allowed to determine what a person’s genitalia should be. As America begins to become more accepting of homosexuality, hopefully those who genitalia is a mixture of both male and female sex organs will also find themselves being more
Anna Tamar-Mattis presents an analysis on the psychological and medical views on transsexuality, explaining that genital cosmetic surgery for intersex infants has been practiced for decades to eliminate gender ambiguity. Proponents of this practice claim that, by assigning a gender at an early age, parents will bond with their intersex child and the child will be subjected to lower dozes of peer rejection and teasing. They virtually ignore the fact that we are forcing people to be forever haunted by their gender-constructed identities, hormones, plastic surgeries and other medical treatments to ‘feminize’ and become new Caitlyn Jenners since before they can make a decision about their bodies. However, the growing social movement to encourage people to rethink their attitudes about gender is having a huge influence on how society views and deals with gender, but there’s still a long way to go, and one area that’s often under-addressed is gender fluidity in children.
In today’s society, new terminology surrounding gender and sexuality are constantly be added or updated. Upon learning more about the varying types of individuals as well as society becoming more accepting of the alternate varieties of gender roles, it is important for all to be able to keep up with it. For starters, gender refers to the femininity or masculinity of an individual through the social, and cultural characteristics associated with the biological sex (Yarber, p. 125). Additionally, there is genetic sex and anatomical sex. In which, genetic sex refers to one’s chromosome and hormonal sex characteristics, such as chromosome XX or XY, or estrogen or testosterone. On the other hand, anatomical sex, pertains to physical sex
This paper summarizes the criteria and research on Gender Dysphoria (GD). GD is a marked incongruence between one’s experienced or expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least six months’ duration. Gender Identity Disorder (GID) taken from the DSM-IV was replaced with GD in the DSM-V because there was nothing wrong with a gender’s identity and because there are more descriptions for the disorder. There is an emotional disturbance among gender dysphoric individuals as they are not happy with their identity or gender. Studies show that the mismatch of the gender causes distress and that sexual reassignment surgery is the most successful as effective treatments. This study will explore the significant factors affecting gender dysphoric children and adults through literature reviews. It will aim to identify treatment approaches and its outcome among the population.
Gender Dysphoria is shown differently depending on the age and assigned gender of the person. The conditions for a child are revealed from childhood. It is more common in boys, but occurs across both sexes. Gender Dysphoria starts between the ages of two and four. In adolescents and adults the characteristics escalate over time. This can be caused by social environments or relationships. Since this condition is not acknowledged in today’s society it cause problems for the victim and those close/related to them. In most cases, the victim begins to feel like they are carrying the wrong (Kenneth & Bradley, 2002).
However, many individuals do not fit neatly into the boxes of “male” or “female. Several people are born with ambitious external genitalia and/or non-binary sex chromosomes, such as XYY or XXY. These individuals are referred to as intersex. Because gender is determined soon after birth in a hospital room by a physician, intersex people face unique challenges. Is it preferable to have a parent choice the gender or an intersex child at birth? Or is it preferable to have the child genitalia ambitious and pick for themselves once they reach adolescence? What are the ethical implications of either course of action?
When people are asked if they would like to know the sex of their fetus, much of the answer is “Yes!” Knowing the sex of the unborn child allows parent to plan and prepare the “baby room” and set the child’s gender role of how men and women are expected to look and behave in society (textbook). Through toys and interactions with parents, children develop their sense of gender identity which stays with them for the entirety of their lifespan. However, some children do not identify with their natal sex but rather with the opposite sex and are called transgender (TG). These individuals who decide to seek treatment to change their bodies, such as male to female (MTF) and female to male (FTM), to reflect their identified gender are called transsexuals (textbook).
First, although we believe there are only two sexes, there are actually five (Fausto-Sterling, 1993). There are hermaphrodites who have one testes and one ovary, merms that have male genitalia and some ovaries, ferms that have ovaries and some male genitalia, and then man and woman (Fausto-Sterling, 1993). Also, one in every four births are intersex (Fausto-Sterling, 1993). We want these gender nonconforming people to be “fixed” surgically because they no longer fit into our social norms, and threaten what we think to be true about gender, however they are more common than many think (Fausto-Sterling, 1993).