problems of my own

[zim]

Let me just start off by saying that I am aware that my problems are a walk in the park, next to what some of you have to go through. I don't know much about my condition, but I was born with an underdeveloped, undescended testicle. After about 4 surguries, they finally decided to surgically remove it. Let me just say that when I had started gymn class in 6th grade, kids in the locker room would not let me live it down. I was called "Lefty" and kids would tell me I'm not a "real man" among other things, and it sort of made middle school hard for me. I quikly came to the conclusion that most people suck. When I changed schools, I made sure to never undress in front of people again.
Also, I'm not sure if I'm fertile or anything. Those things were never explained to me as a child, and I don't feel comfortable bringing them up to anyone. I'm not sure if it's because of my problem, but my facial and chest hair are very "patchy". I couldn't grow a beard if I wanted to. I stumbled across this site in search of answers, because my ex-girlfriend (she is intersex) told me I should look into my condition, and that it may be somehow related to hers, but I realise now that my condition is not the same thing at all (or at least I don't think it is), but I want you to know that I can relate.

[Jules]

Hello, Zim. Support is something we all need when we are a litttle diffrent. Even in the girls Jym when I was in high school, I would get made fun of for not having pubic hair. Like that was my fault! Now it is sexy not to have hair! Talk about a change! If I could go back in time I would tell them all off and tell them that in 16 years your kids will be shaving it off! That was the only real diffrence you could see about me at that age. Even my mom thought it odd of me to want to be covered up they way other girls were, But my doctors understood. I got a doctors notes to keep me out of the Jym. Doctors put me on stronger hormones and it helped. Thanks for your input.
Im not fertile. but don't believe I need to be, there are enough people raiseing kids in the world, and I'm free to love them, or adopt. I hope your having a good day.;)

[PJ]

Zim...

To put this succinctly and scientifically... and forgive me if I am telling you something you already know...

...in pre-natal developent, there are at least 6 distinct stages of development which change every fetus into boys or leave them to develop into girls... during one of these developmental stages the gonads become differentiated into testes or remain in place and become ovaries... part of this stage is where your testes 'descend' and become testicles... sometimes this process becomes interrupted. And the descent being interrupted doesn't necessarily mean that you are an intersexed person... you may well be entirely fertile and normal in every other respect... and the lack of body hair or facial hair also does not necessarily mean anything either. Native Americans mostly do not grow facial hair, yet are fierce warriors and fathers... and Asian men, at least the Japanese, do not often have hair on their chests...
I understand your locker room difficulties all too well... and I am sorry we, you and I, had to put up with that while growing up... but all we can do now about that is chalk it up to a very uninformed public and continue to attempt to educate anyone who is willing to listen...

I am glad to hear you have an understanding of some of the problems IS people face. But, I want to emphasize that we are talking about a medical situation... And I guess if you are concerned about this perhaps you could bring it up with your MD.? Anyway, thanks for your kind words... I wish you well...

[mark]

Hi Zim. I just wanted to mention that if it made sense for you, you might want to consider looking into prosthetic testicular implants. I have read where males with one testical have an implant put in and they are quite satisfied with it. It would end your days of feeling self conscious about it if someone saw you naked. They look totally natural. Good luck, Mark.

[uriela]

PJ -

IS is not a medical situation?

? :confused:

[PJ]

That is what I am saying... IS is indeed a medical situation... there are over 75 known variations of IS on a continuum from masculine to feminine... however, there are right wing republicans and bible thumping absolutists (my parents, for example) who continue to this day to see, in error, all issues surrounding human sexuality in terms of their tainted views of morality. My argument has always been and will continue to be that these pre-natal stages are medical in their nature... I include sexual identity and sexual preference in this spectrum, as the scientific data has shown these aspects of sexuality to also be affected the the presence and/or absence of androgens at critical stages of pre-natal development... this is why we have a continuum of syndromes... because there is no specific formula which can explain every variance of IS... or transgender issues and gay behavior for that matter... It is a combination of factors for each of us... ie. XX chromosomes with the presence of androgens at crucial stages can result in a male baby and XY chromosomes with the absence of androgens at crucial stages can result in female babies... and the quantity, duration and timing of the release of those androgens cause the over 75 variations of IS which are currently known to medical science...
So, in answer, of course this is a medical situation...

[zim]

Thank you for your replies. You people are really great. It's nice to be able to talk to mature people who understand.

[Az1]

that is a small percentage,
huumm, just pondering never mind me

[sfinkton]

PJ--

I am curious if you could suggest any reading, websites, etc. with detailed info about prenatal development in relation to intersexuality, transexuality, and homosexuality.

Thanks,
Sarah

[PJ]

Hi... To all and Sarah... I did an extensive amount of research in the university library on this subject... one book, a textbook called "Our Sexuality", published by The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co. out of Redwood City, CA., has a chapter devoted to Gender Issues (Ch. 3) - This chapter describes very well the six stages of pre-natal differentiation... Stage 1 determines chromosomal sex wheras each parent provides 2 pairs of chromosomes, presumably xx and xy and through meiosis the fetus receives as its own either xx or xy chromosomes (or xxxy or xxy or xo or xyy etc.) - Stage 2 determines Gonadal Sex... ovaries or testes - Stage 3 determines hormonal sex throughout the endocrine system.... Stage 4 determines sex of the internal reproductive structures...
fallopian tubes, uterus, and inner third of the vagina... or these ducts shrink away if the fetus is to be male - Stage 5 determines sex of the external genitals... and Stage 6 is believed to determine gender identity and sexual orientation as this is when the hypothamus and left and right cerebral hemispheres are affected in their development... --- There is further data on Turner's Syndrome, Klinefelter's Syndrome, XXY males, AGS, AIS, DHT deficient males, and transexuality... --- Another text I looked into a great deal was "Masculinity-Feminity: Basic Perspectives" out of Oxford Press, NY... this text also places some focus on the psychobiological and neurological prenatal development of the fetus... --- I will be digging out my papers and if I come up with any more reference points I will post them at that time... Good luck... I would suggest using your online search engine and explore what is available from key-words provided above..., but if you really want to know, you should visit your closest medical and/or psychological library (university?) as you cannot always trust the info on the internet... - pj