#dyadic

To include genitals or not to include genitals…. that is the question.

I think I was talked out of it by my team so we could have greater reach in conservative US schools. I think that normalizing differently shaped genitals is a really important message, and I suppose I don’t mind having that on the website instead.

[Hi, Boston! I’m Dr. Williams. You are probably familiar with the stereotypical male and female sexes for humans (these are called dyadic), but scientists have known for a long time that there’s way more options than that. We call these intersex, and it’s more common than you may think! These are normal and natural conditions and part of the beautiful diversity of human bodies. Just like we have lots of variation in hair color, nose shape, or height, we have many shades of gendered biology, too. 

When it comes to our bodies, no two are exactly alike! Genitals are a great example of this. They come in all shapes and sizes and colors. Sometimes there’s a medical need for the body’s plumbing to be modified surgically at birth. However, doctors will often operate on infants with functioning genitals for no good medical reason - just to make their bodies look “normal.” This is terrible because it hurts children, makes lasting changes without consent, and sends a message that their bodies are not okay. 

The truth is that all bodies are beautiful. But, your body doesn’t define you: you can have any gender identity or sexual orientation with any body type. Our bodies change as we grow. Sometimes our relationship with our bodies is part of how we understand our gender. The important thing is try to be a friend to your body and use words that feel good to you to describe it.

FYI box:The United Nations released a statement in 2013 condemning forced genital-normalizing surgery, but unfortunately, it still happens.11 Groups like InterACT are working to help advocate for the human rights of all children.]

This is a very rough draft from the upcoming version of the GENDER book I’m working on, posting here for community feedback. Please let me know what you think, where I am being problematic and how it could be better! If you prefer to respond anonymously or join the team to be a more active collaborator, you can write me at [email protected]

Feel free to use it as-is if you’d like to, though. It’s creative commons licensed so the only limitations are to share your source and don’t sell it.

Intersex page from the forthcoming GENDER book version 2.0 - expanded and revised.

[Koomah is in a garden with a snail (Garden snails can mate with any other adult of their species.)]

All bodies are valid and beautiful and unique. A person who is intersex is usually born that way due to natural genetic diversity. An intersex person can have any gender or sexual identity, just like a dyadic person. There are lots of things a doctor might look at to label someone intersex, and many folks are intersex without even knowing it. Let’s learn more.

Genetic Conditions
like Klinefelter’s Syndrome and Turner Syndrome

Your genes determine all kinds of things like: your eye color, if you have freckles, and your sex. These genes travel on molecules called chromosomes. You might have the famous XX or XY chromosomes (these are often dyadic sexes). Alternatively you could have XXYY, XXY, XO, or XXX chromosomes, or multiple kinds at once (those are considered intersex). Bodies are complex and beautiful. The only way to tell your chromosomes is with a blood test, so most of the time we won’t know what we have.

Hormonal Conditions
like Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

All people have communication chemicals like estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone in different levels in their blood, and every body processes them a little differently.10 That means your hormones are personal to you! Because they affect secondary sex characteristics, individuals with hormone levels out of the expected ranges or whose bodies react in unique ways to their hormones can be considered intersex.

(in Koomah’s speech bubble) “Hi, my name is Koomah! I am an artist and an educator. I want to tell you that Intersex people are just normal people! We aren’t deformed and are not defective. These bodies aren’t shameful. These bodies deserve the same respect as anyone else’s. They’re not scary, they’re just different, and that’s okay.”

F.Y.I… (in snail thought bubble) True hermaphrodites are quite rare outside of animals and plants like me. Today we use the more appropriate and honoring term “intersex” for our human friends.

This is a very rough draft I’m working on, posting here for community feedback. Please let me know what you think, where I am being problematic and how it could be better! If you prefer to respond anonymously or join the team to be a more active collaborator, you can write me at [email protected]

Feel free to use it as-is if you’d like to, though. It’s creative commons licensed so the only limitations are to share your source and don’t sell it.