When the sex of a person is doubtful - INTERSEX

When the sex of a person is doubtful - INTERSEX

Every person in the society is labelled as male or female by the family and the law. However, there are few unfortunate people who does not fit into into this definition of male or female. There are some men with female characters, behaviour and organs and vice versa. Also, there are some men who mentally feel that they are female and vice versa. There are also few people in whom sex determination is extremely difficult. All these people are called as Transexuals or Intersexuals or Hermaphrodites. This occurs in about one in 5000 of the people.

WHAT IS GENDER AND SEX OF A PERSON?
Gender and sex are quite separate things. But many a times they are used to give the same meaning. Sex is the physical form and function of a person. Gender is the assigned status of a person being identified as male or female.


HOW SEX IS DETERMINED?

The criteria for correct sexual determination of a child include-
1. Chromosomal Sex
2. Gonadal Sex ( ovary-female;
testis-male)
3. Hormonal Function
4. Internal and External sex organs
5. Assigned sex (at birth)

FEMALE

MALE


CAUSES FOR TRANS-SEXUALITY: The causes for trans-sexuality may be due to two factors namely genetic causes and hormonal causes.

TRANSE -SEXUAL SYMBOL

The genetic causes can be seen with development of foetus. A foetus bearing an XY chromosome pair develops into a male and a foetus with an XX chromosome pair develops into a female. Other sex chromosome combinations are possible such as X0 (Turner’s syndrome), XXX, XXY (Klinefelter’s syndrome), XXXY, XYY and so on.

The hormonal causes is due to hormonal imbalance. The increase in the production of male hormone androgen makes a female with male characteristics. The increase in the production of femal hormone esterogen make a male with female characteristics.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS: The signs and symptoms of trans-sexual male or female are as follows:
1. Person predominantly male with female characters: This person will have XY chromosome pair, with feminine characters such as enlarged breasts, absence of male characteristic hair, underdeveloped penis and testes.
2. Person predominantly female with male characteristics: This person will have XX chromosome pair, with underdeveloped breasts, distribution of hairs like male (hirsutism), and vagina which are infertile. Uterus and ovaries may be absent or underdeveloped.

PROBLEMS FACED BY TRANS-SEXUALS: In the ancient world, trans-sexuals were considered magical, kin to the gods or spirits and as a medicine man working with magic. In our country, they are treated in a hypocritical fashion and they are often paid to attend and bless weddings and to act as spiritual and social advisors. Most of times, the person will be impotent or infertile.
But nevertheless, at every moment they are ignored and suppressed by the society. They face the violent unacceptance of the society, medical establishment, common loss of all family and friends and cost of treatment. They are even devoid of getting a decent care from the society. The agony they experience can lead to self destruction.

TREATMENT: The kind of treatment provided will depend on the individual needs of the patient and subject to negotiation between the consultants involved, patient’s family doctor and the patient. The available treatment are hormone therapy, surgical reconstruction and counseling.

THE LEGAL POSITION: The present legal position is that trans-sexuals lose a substantial part of their civil liberties. They are placed outside the remit of the Sex Discrimination Act. They do not have their birth certificates to show their gender status. They cannot marry a member of the other gender. They do not have right to vote.

CONCLUSION: Trans-sexuals suffer because they are trapped in a body of the wrong sex. Of course “truth is always bitter”, but a person should not be punished for no fault of his. Society should accept them as descent members. They must be given all the rights of a person. They must be treated with dignity.