Gender IssuesGender Issues

Gender VS sexGender VS sex

• Gender = psychosocial (cultural)

• Sex = biological

Genetic codeGenetic code

• Eggs = XX

• Sperm = XY

Prenatal sexual differentiationPrenatal sexual differentiation

• In the absence of male hormones, female external genitals will develop

Prenatal structurePrenatal structure

StructuresStructures

• Female = Mullerian ducts

• Male = Wolffian ducts

Undifferentiated stageUndifferentiated stage

Early genital developmentEarly genital development

Advanced genital developmentAdvanced genital development

Peno-scrotal raphe

Homologus structuresHomologus structures

• Clitoris = glands of the penis

• Scrotum = major lips

Abnormal prenatal Abnormal prenatal differentiationdifferentiation

• Hermaphrodites– True hermaphrodite

• One ovary & one testicle

– Pseudohermaphrodite• Often two ovaries & penis like clitoris• May result from

– Chromosomal disorder– Hormonal disorder

• More common than true hermaphrodites

Chromosome errorsChromosome errors• Turner’s syndrome• (sterile female with absent or underdeveloped

ovaries)– XO

• Normal external genitals• Lack of menstruation at puberty• Female gender identity

– http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000379.htm

• Klinefelters syndrome (sterile male with underdeveloped genitals)– XXY– http://www.nih.gov/health/chip/nichd/klinefelter/

Hormone errors (prenatal)Hormone errors (prenatal)

• Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)– External genitals of male fetus fail to

differentiate– Newborn has normal-looking female external

genitals– Diagnosed when menstruation does not occur

Hormone errors (prenatal)Hormone errors (prenatal)

• Fetally androgenized females (FAF)– Masculinized external organs

John Money study of Joan/JohnJohn Money study of Joan/John

• Circumcision accident

• Follow-up 17 years later

• The effect of prenatal hormones on brain differentiation may be much more influential in gender-identity than was originally assumed.

Transvestite VS transsexualTransvestite VS transsexual

• Transvestite cross dresses for sexual arousal

• Transsexual cross dresses to feel comfortable and congruent

Sex reassignment surgery Sex reassignment surgery – Transsexuals or transgender

• Crossdresses to feel comfortable and congruent• More men than women• Ratio is narrowing

– Most preoperative transsexual persons feel they are heterosexual.

Trans gender surgery resultsTrans gender surgery results

• http://www.annelawrence.com/twr/

Gender assumptionsGender assumptions

• The assumptions that men “know about sex”, are responsible for doing a “good Job” with sex, and women are passive is a result of social learning, not biology.