The basics

[attismum]

For those of you who don't know what intersexuality is, or how it affects people, here is the Wiki page giving a general overview.

Intersexuality

[joelface]

i just watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy that focused on a young girl who just discovered her ovaries were actually testis. besides that, she still had everything else female.


the only thing that somewhat bothered me about it was that they acted like she might want to be a male or a female, and it was nobodies right to tell her which.

...now, the reason why that bothered me is because i don't think she should have to feel like... i have to be a boy or a girl.

let the intersex BE intersex. thats how i feel. although, if they would feel more comfortable associating as one or the other, i obviously have no problem with that.

but at least realize there is that 3rd option, and its okay to be that way.

[attismum]

Having read a few articles and statements, I have found that an awful lot of people choose to remain intersex. It's a very complicated variant of sex, there isn't any specific in between state, there are instead extremely varied degrees between solidly male or female. I don't think we should be forcing the view that a choice of one particular sex has to be made. Just as some men and women are born knowing that they would feel more natural as the opposite sex, many intersex people do have a specific notion of feeling a particular sex. We should be as accepting of remaining ambiguous as we are of people who know they are a specific sex.

It certainly isn't something that I feel should be decided for a child. Just because someone is born with a micro penis, it doesn't mean they would feel better as a woman. Your brain knows what sex it is and that's true for people who have ambiguous genitals or chromosones. A choice can be made (including the choice to do nothing) at a mature age.

[Tyrannophobe]

Just be careful with the words sex and gender. Sex is biological - XX or XY (and if there are other chromosomal variations that I don't know of) and gender is psychological. I don't know enough about the topic to be sure when to use which when, but medically or scientifically speaking, that's the distinction.

[firefly]

Everything I've read about it says that when an intersexed child is assigned a gender shortly after birth (usually female since it's easier to "correct" to) and not told about their condition, instead being raised as the assigned gender, they tend to never feel right in their own body, and often have emotional problems. Upon learning the truth, most feel relieved that they're not crazy, though they often feel resentful for being a) lied to and surgically altered.

It amazes me that some doctors continue to claim that the best thing for an intersexed child is to pick a gender, be raised as that gender, and never ever told the truth, even though there's so much evidence out there that children who are raised as themselves, rather than as somebody else's idea of what they should be, turn out better adjusted and emotionally stable.

If someone is not happy with their genitalia, upon reaching adulthood, they should be able to change whatever they want. But to force that on a child who may prefer to be left alone is unconscionable.

[tonyiroc]

,,...I was born with an intersex condition called PMSD(Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome w/ ovairian tissue)...The doctors made the right disition in my mind due to the fact my male organs were fully funtional and my vaginal opening was only simi developed..I just have a situation where I have female inside of me and have alwasys felt it and it took me going in for a visectomy procedure at age 39 to find out..I had another surgery when i was age 4 because I was peeing in 2 or 3 streems all over toilet,my mom told me it was to be able to pee like the big boys and I thought nothing of it ...now i find out it was because of ovarian tissue build up causing problems with my penis functions..
This made sense now that i know I was born with a vaginal opening ,cervix, uterus and ovarian tissue at that location..I had total functional male organs but female organs were not complete..Though now i know i still have female ovarian like tissue in my body that was found when i had a vesectomy procedure..My vaginal opening was closed at birth and uterus /fallopian tube structure removed but still have vaginal path and upper vaginal cavity..My vaginal cavity and scrodum is filled with ovarian tissue and had to have cysts
removed after they found them during the vesectomy procedure..what a shock to find out at age 39,,,.I had 2 sons and very happy for that but the loss of part of my body the way it was upsets me...

..I'm not looking or have ever thought about being female at all..I feel very comfertable as male just knew from a young boy there was somethng differant from me and some of my friends..I am not talking about sexual orientation either though i have had bisexual experiences at times when it felt right..I started masturbating at age 8 with climax but no ejactulation..But not like other boys, I found by playing and experimenting the the area under my scrudum would make me cumm not like other boys stroking thier penis..Ofcourse I did not know that until about age 11 when i started to ejactulate..This made sense now that i know I was born with a vaginal opening , uterus and ovarian tissue at that location..I had total functional male organs but female organs were not complete..Though now i know i still have female ovarian like tissue in my body that was found when i had a visectomy procedure...I had 2 sons and very happy for that but the loss of part of my body the way it was upsets me...Well I just want to tell you where I stand in that issue....So happy for your response and looking for intersex friends aswell and friendship..Write me for anything as well..Sorry if I'm venting but there is no one to talk to just need discreet friends.
..tony