[razeljenny]

Does anyone here know how two sexes in one person exist? Is there anyone that is this on the board? "Turners Syndrone," is just one I heard of. Thankyou all

[muse]

Hmm... I've heard of this before. I believe it occurs when the person has two underdeveloped sex organs (i.e. male and female) or has one that's more developed than the other. It's a genetic disorder, and the first problems would begin to form (though might not show up) while the fetus was still in the very early stages of development. You should look it up on Google... though Wikipedia has turned up some interesting results in the Women-Focused Support forums.

In all seriousness, though I'm not sure I remember the name of this disorder, it's now reparable fairly early on through plastic surgery, which is good news for those who have it.

~muse

[Liberada]

<font color="red">(I think this applies to females)</font>
Turner syndrome encompasses several chromosomal abnormalities, of which monosomy X is the most common. It occurs in 1 out of every 2500 female births.[1] Instead of the normal XX sex chromosomes for a female, only one X chromosome is present and fully functional. This is called 45,X or 45,X0, although other genetic variants occur. In Turner syndrome, female sexual characteristics are present but generally underdeveloped.

Common symptoms of Turner syndrome include

* Short stature
* Lymphoedema (swelling) of the hands and feet
* Broad chest (shield chest) and widely-spaced nipples
* Low hairline
* Low-set ears
* Reproductive sterility
* Amenorrhea, or the absence of a menstrual period

Other symptoms may include a small lower jaw (micrognathia), cubitus valgus (turned-in elbows), a webbed neck, soft upturned nails, Simian crease and drooping eyelids. Less common are pigmented moles, hearing loss, and a high-arch palate (narrow maxilla). Turner syndrome manifests itself differently in each female affected by the condition, and no two individuals will share the same symptoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turner_syndrome

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

also see (Klinefelter's Syndrome) <font color="red">(I think this is males)</font>
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topi...r_syndrome.cfm

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

and H.E.L.P. hermaphrodite

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

<font color="red">I hope this is helpful. (I find searching for info for other a nice challenge. I learn something...they learn something... )</font>

[Maven]

If this is the same thing as hermaphroditism, another term for that is intersexual. However, according to Wikipedia's entry on Intersexuality says that the term "intersex" is disputed for Turner's Syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome, and a couple other related terms.

[razeljenny]

I am thinking that intersexual is someone with both sets of genitalia. The one set is most developed and other less. The person still should get care from medical all their life, for there are heart valuve variations that can cause problems, there are testicles that are up in the abdeman which can herniate and or be a cause of unknown severe pains for a person all of there life and if the individual does not check for underdeveloped male organs, they may not notice this. An underdeveloped penis can be in the inside lower end of the birth canal, sometimes partially showing just a little tiney bit outside, looking like a mass of tissue with a misformed little head, which can after careful survey be a small male sex organ. There can be delayed learning in mathematics and spacial perception and social reading of people, without the person being aware of why, especially if they don't get detection of it. The male organ can be minute, maybe three or four centmeters. Check it. I know that only four in two or three thousand have the genentic phenotype, but I may have discovered that I myself have it. Another thing is that the Female type can be aggressive alittle bit more, and not know that the cause is this which is rotten.

[Maven]

Thanks for the info, razeljenny.

hey. i found this article quite interesting (admittedly it is more about gender than sex):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_gender

the idea, however... is that current sex 'options':
male
female
are inadequate for quite a few contemporary societies.

sometimes suggested other options are around social role...
but sometimes they are around physical characteristics as well...

i would imagine that it would be EXTREMELY controversial whether to describe people of the 'third sex' as 'defective males' or 'defective females'. all part of the bell curve and normal human variation and all (and our irresistable urge to put people into nice and neat little boxes).

have you seen a doctor about your concern?

(i'm wondering because quite often people get to wondering whether they are really of the other sex... it is something i've wondered about myself at times too...)

the intersex article is interesting too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex

definition of intersex: conditions in which chromosomal sex is inconsistent with phenotypic sex, or in which the phenotype is not classifiable as either male or female. Applying this ... precise definition, the true prevalence of intersex is seen to be about 0.018%.[1] ”

So there are about 50,000 intersex people (by Sax's definition) in the United States alone.

and apparently there is an official language choice:

Research in the late twentieth century has led to growing medical consensus that the diverse intersex physicalities are normal, but relatively rare, forms of human biology. Perhaps the most prominent researcher, Milton Diamond, stresses the importance of care in selection of language related to intersexuality.

“ Foremost, we advocate use of the terms "typical," "usual," or "most frequent" where it is more common to use the term "normal." When possible avoid expressions like maldeveloped or undeveloped, errors of development, defective genitals, abnormal, or mistakes of nature. Emphasize that all of these conditions are biologically understandable while they are statistically uncommon.[2]

and interestingly enough:

Since the rise of modern medical science in Western societies, some intersex people with ambiguous external genitalia have had their genitalia surgically modified to resemble either male or female genitals. But there are increasing calls for recognition of the various degrees of intersex as healthy variations which should not be subject to correction. Some have attacked the common Western practice of performing corrective surgery on the genitals of intersex people as a Western cultural equivalent of female genital cutting. Despite the attacks on the practice, most of the medical profession still supports it. Others have claimed that the talk about third sexes represents an ideological agenda to deride gender as a social construct whereas they believe gender is a biological reality.

ps...

i think it has been determined that chromosomes, phenotype (physical characteristics), and gender identity (which is to be distinguished from sexual preference) must all come into line as female for one to post to the womens forum and must all come into line as male for one to post to the mens forum.

just thought i'd reiterate what seems to be in force...

[(JD)]

Hermaphrodite.

And though the term bisexual is being used to define a lifestyle, biologically speaking it is the correct term for someone born physically with evidence of both sexes.

the term bisexual is used in the context of sexual preference rather than the context of sexual identity.

people can be heterosexual (have a sexual preference for members of the opposite sex)
people can be homosexual (have a sexual preference for members of the same sex)
people can be bisexual (not have a strong homosexual or heterosexual preference)

sexual preference is about what kinds of people one is attracted to / prefers to have sex with.

though... there is a confusion of terms admittedly. and some groups purposely reject some of the terms because they don't like the way they are defined.

e.g., sometimes bisexual is defined as someone who has 'indiscriminate' sexuality. some people object to this because they feel it has connotations that people who are bisexual are willing to have sex with anyone and everyone.

i think that intersex / hemaphrodite might be the terms for people who have indeterminate sexual identity with respect to the current black and white 'male' and 'female' categories.

[Maven]

There's also asexual (not desiring sex with either gender).

Most hermaphrodites prefer the term "intersexual."

[Zeemee]

I had a close male friend with Klinefelter's. He was taller than most, had less facial hair and was sterile. After reading the links provided here, this chromosomal abnormality is far from rare, ocuring in 1 out 500 males. Most not even aware that they have it. My dear friend had such issues with his condition. Sad...really sad.

Sex-chromosomal nondisjunction

Aneuploidy of sex chromosomes can also occur. The presence of extra X chromosome(s) causes Klinefelter syndrome in men and Triple X syndrome in women, while monosomy X (45, X) gives rise to women with Turner syndrome.

* XXX (Triple X syndrome)
* XXY (Klinefelter's syndrome)
* XYY (XYY syndrome)

[Moose72]

There is also chimera. This is thought to be when two embryos fuse. There was a show on 5 years ago called "I am my own twin". Quite interesting.