The term intersex defines a type of people who are born with both masculine and feminine biological characteristics, that is, the characteristics of one or the other sex are combined. An intersex person can be chromosomally male but appear female. Intersex is a genetic condition, which is considered by experts as a disorder of sexual development.
In the past, intersex people were called "hermaphrodite" a term that combines the names of the Greek gods Hermes, which represents masculinity and aphrodite representative of female beauty. However, it is no longer used today, since it is considered a misleading term that can cause confusion; since true hermaphroditism is a rare process that originates in certain organisms, with very different characteristics from what happens to humans.
The anatomical characteristics of intersex people are: ambiguous genitalia at birth, partial fusion of the lips, clitoromegaly (clitoral enlargement) or micropenis, delayed or absent puberty. Intersex people can be classified as follows:
Intersexual xx: these people are born with the chromosomes and ovaries of a woman, however their external genitalia are male in appearance. This generally occurs when the fetus during pregnancy has been exposed to excess male hormones. These babies are born with genitalia that present certain peculiarities, such as partially fused lips and a clitoris that is larger than normal, resembling a penis. There are many cases where the person has a totally normal uterus and fallopian tubes.
Intersexual xy: in this case the individual is born with male chromosomes, but his genitals are not fully developed, so they are a bit confusing and in certain cases, markedly female. For their part, the testicles tend to develop internally. Usually these abnormalities occur due to an imbalance in the production of male hormones.
Similarly, there are cases where the person may have an ovary and a testicle, or they may also have xx, xy chromosomes or both. On this occasion, the external genitalia can look both male and female.
In general, intersex people can present many difficulties when defining their sexuality, a situation that in most cases is the product of the inflexibility of society, wanting to label people in a fixed and extremely radical category, without take into account the feelings and wishes of individuals.
Parents who face these situations see surgery as the best option, without taking into account the opinion of the child or adolescent and without thinking about the long-term complications that it can generate for them.
This is why the most advisable thing (if you are facing a case like this), is to seek help from a good medical specialist, who will give you all possible guidance; in addition to attending the support groups that exist for families facing intersex.
