Are there more than 2 sexes/genders?

Sex - biologically based; genetically determined; genitals and chromosomes Gender - socially/culturally constructed; masculinity vs. femininity

ANDROGYNY (Pat on SNL): intersection between masculine and feminine ?v=VwT1kp0C3Sshttp:// ?v=VwT1kp0C3Ss It’s how one feels about one’s own sex

Gender typing: ascribing to yourself traits, behaviors, and roles that are common of people of your sex in your culture Gender roles: norms for acceptable behavior for males and females (i.e. females cry)

Gender stereotypes: characteristics you apply to a group of people but they are over-simplified

Sex chromosomes: 1 from egg (only gives X) and sperm gives X or Y XX=girl and XY=boy Fetus sexually bi-potential until 8 weeks

Default is female When it’s XY, at 8 weeks a message is sent to mom to produce ANDROGEN (hormone) to masculinize  testes form, brain changes, penis forms

In absence of ANDROGEN, the baby becomes female

1. Andrenogenital Syndrome (AGS) - too much androgen is released to the fetus. Not a problem if fetus is male but a female is made more masculine (genitalia masculinizes) More likely to be a TOMBOY

2. Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) - baby doesn’t detect androgen and male babies don’t masculinize; develop as female but genetically XY; no internal sex organs; at puberty grow breasts but don’t menstruate (XY females)..jlc

3. Alpha Reductase Deficiency (DHT) -partial androgen insensitivity; internally male but externally female. If not detected before puberty, testes will produce sperm and male secondary characteristics will develop

Ann Fausto-Sterling believes that 2 sexes are not enough A spectrum of sexuality exists ( HE SHE ) Surgery can be done to change to one sex Within the first year of intersex baby, doctors operate to assign a sex

1. XO=Turner’s Syndrome (sperm contributes nothing); baby develops female but can’t reproduce because doesn’t have reproductive organs; usually short 2. XXX (sperm contributes too much); looks female, tends to be normal

3. XXY=Klinefelter’s Syndrome - live as men, looks and raised as male, but small penis & testes, low androgen secretion & possible female breasts develop; a feminizing male 4. XYY - Hyper aggressive male

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