Sexual characteristics and sex assignment (I)

Sexual characteristics and sex assignment (I)

Due to the process of sexuation we talked about before, our body acquires certain sexual characteristics, also called sex or biological sex, which differentiate us between males and females, biologically speaking. But in reality, the process is very complex and the sexuation or configuration of biological sex occurs at different levels:

Chromosomes: whether they are XX, XY, XXY, X0, etc.
Gonads: ovaries, testicles, ovotestis, etc.).
Genitalia: penis, vulva, variations with characteristics of both.
Hormones (testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone).
Secondary sexual characteristics (breasts, facial hair, etc.).

Generally, at birth, the health personnel who accompany the birth register our sex according to our genitalia. If they see a penis, they assign a male sex, and if they do not see a penis, they assign a female sex. This is what is known as «sex assignment» at birth. We will see later how this is relevant, as our sex assignment conditions our gender identity.

There are people who are born with sexual characteristics that do not conform to what is traditionally considered masculine or feminine. These are intersex people, intersex people or people with intersex characteristics. In these cases, they are usually assigned the sex that is thought to have the most characteristics (from ultrasound scans or even hormone and chromosome studies) and, when the person is older, they can decide if they wish to take any action, such as having surgery on their genitals or taking hormones.

In many countries, however, what are known as «corrective» operations continue to be carried out on the genitals of babies at birth. This is a violation of the human and sexual rights of these people and has been shown to have significant consequences for their physical and mental health.

Did you know that around 2% of the world’s population is intersex? To give you an idea, there are as many intersex people in the world as there are redheads. It’s a much more common reality than we think, but unfortunately it is still largely invisible.

Moreover, 26 October is celebrated as Intersex Awareness Day because it was on 26 October 1996 that the first public demonstration in defence of intersex people was held in Boston. Sociologist Morgan Holmes and intersex activist Max Beck, of the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA).

Both were scheduled to present their research at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Annual Convention, but the AAP decided to drop their presentations from the schedule. In an attempt to raise awareness of intersex-related malpractice, Holmes and Beck protested for hours in front of the convention venue, supported by activists and some LGTBIQA+ organisations such as The Transexual Menace. In Spain, the work of intersex activist Camino Baro is very important in this great work of visibilisation.

Some of the variations in sexual characteristics (but not the only ones) that give rise to intersexuality are the following:

• Turner’s syndrome or monosomy X: there are people who instead of having a pair of XX or XY chromosomes, have only one X chromosome, whose karyotype is represented as X0. Ovaries and other secondary sexual characteristics do not develop in this configuration, so people with this condition often have short stature and other conditions.
• Klinefelter’s Syndrome: There are people whose karyotype has an extra X chromosome, being XXY. Because they have the Y chromosome, and because of their genital appearance, they are identified as having a male biological sex. This configuration is often not detected until puberty or adulthood. The effects vary, but among others, people with this configuration may have less developed testes, lower testosterone levels or breast growth.
• Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS): Some people with an XY karyotype have testes that produce male hormones that are not properly absorbed by their body tissues. This causes their development, including that of the genitalia, to have female characteristics, with the testicles remaining inside the body.
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH): there are people with an XX karyotype who have intersex characteristics in their genitalia, i.e. despite their female chromosomal configuration, the vulva does not have the usual female appearance. In addition, this configuration causes more male hormones to be produced.
• Hypospadias: this is an intersex configuration that occurs in male individuals in which the opening of the urethra is not located on the glans penis, but at another point between the penis and the perineum.