Posing a question
Oct. 10th, 2006 08:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hazliyaSo we're covering hormone development in the Biology of Sex class. Starting from fertilization, making our way up.
And we just got into a segment on Androgene Deficiency Syndrome (or something to that effect) where the fetus has a malfunction in testosterone receptor sites. All of them. However, the baby is genetically male, and therefore has a set of testes tucked up into the body. And since a baby without testosterone is functionally female, they have vaginas of varying development and grow through puberty developing hip fat and breasts. And they can remain blissfully unaware of it, except the fact that they can't menstruate. And then tests reveal that they're male!
And because they can't respond to any testosterone whatsoever, that means zero sex drive and almost perfect female bodies. There have been recurring cases in supermodels, but their careers were still peaking.
And in a related set of disorders, some genetically male babies not exposed to enough testosterone in the womb are raised as girls, then are greeted with a great big surprise when they suddenly get hit with a blast of testosterone in puberty and - happy thirteenth birthday! - they have a penis and testicles.
How the hell do these people adapt?
I mean, what would you do in either of these situations? If you suddenly found out one day you were genetically male and all that it entails, or if you gradually grew into a guy complete with genitalia and appearance, how would you cope?
-Haz
And we just got into a segment on Androgene Deficiency Syndrome (or something to that effect) where the fetus has a malfunction in testosterone receptor sites. All of them. However, the baby is genetically male, and therefore has a set of testes tucked up into the body. And since a baby without testosterone is functionally female, they have vaginas of varying development and grow through puberty developing hip fat and breasts. And they can remain blissfully unaware of it, except the fact that they can't menstruate. And then tests reveal that they're male!
And because they can't respond to any testosterone whatsoever, that means zero sex drive and almost perfect female bodies. There have been recurring cases in supermodels, but their careers were still peaking.
And in a related set of disorders, some genetically male babies not exposed to enough testosterone in the womb are raised as girls, then are greeted with a great big surprise when they suddenly get hit with a blast of testosterone in puberty and - happy thirteenth birthday! - they have a penis and testicles.
How the hell do these people adapt?
I mean, what would you do in either of these situations? If you suddenly found out one day you were genetically male and all that it entails, or if you gradually grew into a guy complete with genitalia and appearance, how would you cope?
-Haz
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Date: 2006-10-10 10:51 pm (UTC)But yes, it is a shitty situation.
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Date: 2006-10-10 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-10 10:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-10 11:34 pm (UTC)Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall something like that.