Hemaphroditism

[rizz_loves_jesus]

I've been wondering about this for a while. When a baby is born with both sets of healthy, functioning sexual organs, what should the doctors and parents do about it? Does the Church say anything about this? Or what about when someone is born with an XXY or XYY genetic code?

[CatherineM]

Indeterminate gender is a very difficult thing for parents and doctors to deal with. I've had a couple of clients who fell into that category, and the way it was dealt with decades ago was cruel and barbaric. Now, most competent doctors wait on surgical options so long as the child has proper function of waste disposal. It's better to wait until they have grown and developed some to see how things progress, and how they are adjusting. They try to assign a gender based on genetic testing, and present genitalia before the child begins school. The church always teaches compassion when dealing with something that could be classified as a birth defect. As to functionality, true hermaphrodites are rare, and the male genitalia rarely works properly when female genitalia is also present.

As to the XXY or XYY types of things, many people carry those extra chromosomes and never know it. There was a study on XYY years ago that they were more violent, but it ended up being flawed because they were only testing convicts. When they tested the general public, they found many other, non-violent men had the extra Y without knowing it. In vitro hormonal disturbances lead to most indeterminate gender issues, not extra Y chromosomes.

[picchick]

This is a very difficult thing for parents. I learned about it in Peds class. The parents and the doctor must sit down and go through what is there, what is missing and what is under developed. They must also take into consideration where the urethra and urethra meatus are. It is a huge ethical issue though.

[kujo]

What about gender identity disorder?

[Farsight one]

I say, whether it's hermaphroditism, GID, or you've had a sex change, your gender is what your genetic code says it is. If you have XY, you are male. Period. If you are XX, you are female. Period. Your appearance and any surgeries you may have to alter your appearance doesn't change that one bit.

XXY is a "superfemale", but still a female. Same with supermales.

I'm not saying it can't be difficult to think you're a female all your life, only to discover one day that you're actually not. It wouldn't be easy to have GID either, but that doesn't change what you technically are.

[Deb]

I have never heard of superfemales or supermales. What are they?

[Farsight one]

[quote name='Deb' post='1600121' date='Jul 14 2008, 09:05 PM']I have never heard of superfemales or supermales. What are they?[/quote]
A superfemale is simply a person born with XXY chromosomes instead of just XX. A supermale is the same, except it is XYY instead of XY. This usually results in the females producing far more estrogen than normal and the males producing far more testosterone than normal. It is also extremely rare to find "supers" that can have children, but it has happened.

...at least I think.

[dominicansoul]

But does anyone know if there are any Church teachings for this group of people? This can be such a difficult life for those who don't have a sexual identity! God have pity on them!

Edited July 15, 2008 by dominicansoul

[Justin86]

[quote name='picchick' post='1594106' date='Jul 8 2008, 06:07 AM']This is a very difficult thing for parents. I learned about it in Peds class. The parents and the doctor must sit down and go through what is there, what is missing and what is under developed. They must also take into consideration where the urethra and urethra meatus are. It is a huge ethical issue though.[/quote]

I heard that even though hermaphrodites have both genitalia almost always they produce either testosterone or estrogen in more amounts than the other, and the decision is usually based on that. Is that true?

[Deb]

There are so few cases that there isn't very much information out there. I looked. Only 350-450 known cases. This is what I found:

A person born with both ovary and testicular tissue, this could be 2 seperate gonads ( one of each) or a combination of both in one (an ovotestes). The genitalia can vary from completely male or female, to a combination of both or even ambiguous looking. The chromosome (karotype) compliment can be XX (female), XY (male), XX/XY (mosiac) or even XO (extremely rare). Those XX with female genitalia are raised female ( some have even given birth). Those XY with male genitalia are raised male ( a few have fathered children). The children born XX/XY or XO (with genitalia male or female are raised in the sex they look most like) ,Those born with ambiguous genitalia have many medical tests for the doctors to determine which sex they should be assigned. Doctors then recommend early surgery to make the child look physically like the sex assigned to them.

[dustthouart]

No. XXX is superfemale. XXY is Klinefelter's syndrome and they are considered to be men.

Some XXY men have no visible signs whatsover. Others have a more youthful or rounded look. Almost all XXY men are sterile, and for the ones who don't have any other medical problems, it is usually after having trouble conceiving that they find out they are XXY.

(I've written a novel where one of the character's adopted father is XXY, so I've looked into this.)

Come to think of it, though, I've never looked into whether an XXY man would have any problems getting married in the church or becoming priests... I would think not. I mean for one thing, it's not like "Do you have any extra chromosomes" is a common question, so probably no one would know. And in many cases the men themselves do not know.

To me, from my research, XXY men are men, no question. But I don't know if this matter has ever been officially settled.

[rizz_loves_jesus]

[quote name='dustthouart' post='1600289' date='Jul 15 2008, 08:26 AM']No. XXX is superfemale. XXY is Klinefelter's syndrome and they are considered to be men.

Some XXY men have no visible signs whatsover. Others have a more youthful or rounded look. Almost all XXY men are sterile, and for the ones who don't have any other medical problems, it is usually after having trouble conceiving that they find out they are XXY.

(I've written a novel where one of the character's adopted father is XXY, so I've looked into this.)

Come to think of it, though, I've never looked into whether an XXY man would have any problems getting married in the church or becoming priests... I would think not. I mean for one thing, it's not like "Do you have any extra chromosomes" is a common question, so probably no one would know. And in many cases the men themselves do not know.

To me, from my research, XXY men are men, no question. But I don't know if this matter has ever been officially settled.[/quote]

This is the thing i have been wondering most about, because I read someone's post on a different website about how they're XXY and identify with the female gender. I'm just not sure what to think about their decision to become female, whether they're female with a physical disorder or they're male with a mental disorder

[CatherineM]

Probably a little bit of both. That's why these cases are so hard to deal with, and require mega compassion.

[rckllnknny]

oops nvmnd

Edited July 22, 2008 by rckllnknny