Gender Issues © Robert J. Atkins, Ph.D.

What is sex vs. gender? Sex = biological Gender = psychosocial (cultural)

What are the sex chromosomes? Eggs = XX Sperm = XY

Prenatal sexual differentiation In the absence of male hormones, female external genitals will develop

Prenatal structure

What are the prenatal structures? Female = Mullerian ducts Male = Wolffian ducts

What is the undifferentiated stage?

What is early genital development?

What is advanced genital development?

What is the peno-scrotal raphe?

What structures are homologous? Ovaries = Testicles Clitoris = glands of the penis Scrotum = major lips

Do you remember? What is the female and male sex chromosome pattern? What are the female prenatal structures? What are the male prenatal structures? What structures in the female are homologous to those in the male.

What is Transgender? Transgender: Umbrella term 16 or more intersex conditions Transsexuals Listed in the DSM-V as “Gender identity disorder” Transvestites

What are intersex conditions? Various chromosome, hormone, and developmental conditions that are not standard for male and female. At least 16 conditions Includes: Turner Syndrome Klinefelter syndrome Androgen insensitivity syndrome Ovo-testes (formerly called “true Hermaphroditism”)

What are chromosome errors? Turner’s syndrome Klinefelters syndrome

What is Turner’s syndrome? (Sterile female with absent or underdeveloped ovaries) XO Normal external female genitals Lack of menstruation at puberty Female gender identity

What is Klinefelters syndrome What is Klinefelters syndrome? (sterile male with underdeveloped genitals) XXY chromosome pattern Gender identity confusion

What are the prenatal hormone errors? Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) Fetally androgenized females (FAF)

What is 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

What are fetally androgenized females (FAF)? Masculinized external organs

Do you remember? What are the characteristics of Turner’s syndrome? What are the characteristics of Klinefelters syndrome? What is Androgen Insensitivity syndrome? What is a fetally androgenized female?

John Money study of Joan/John Circumcision accident The effect of prenatal hormones on brain differentiation may be much more influential in gender-identity than was originally assumed.

Transvestite VS transsexual Transvestite cross dresses for sexual arousal Transsexual cross dresses to feel comfortable and congruent

What is sex reassignment surgery? Sex change surgery Transsexuals feel trapped in a body of the “wrong” sex Cross dresses to feel comfortable and congruent More men (M-F) than women (F-M) Ratio is narrowing Most preoperative transsexual persons feel they are heterosexual.

M-F transsexual surgery

M-F transgender surgery results

F-M transgender surgery results Before After (Artificial testicles)

Do you remember? What did we learn from the John Money study? What is the difference between a transvestite and a transsexual? What sexual orientation do most preoperative transsexual persons feel they have?