What Makes Someone Male or Female

[ReineD]

Well, as always everyone is right.

There are two different ways to define what is male/female. Are you speaking of the male/female sex, or internal feelings gender identification.

1. In terms of sex, this is determined easily through chromosomes (which determine the primary and secondary sexual characteristics). The vast majority of the population is either 46,XX female or 46,XY male. The presence of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome causes the development of the testes in males during early embryonic development, with subsequent release of male hormones which cause male sexual characteristics (male body, beard, lower voice, etc). There are also intersex individuals with chromosomal variations (for example 47,XXY for Klinefelter Syndrome). You can see a list of variations here:
   
   http://www.genetic.org/Knowledge/Wha...ariations.aspx
   
   And here is a comprehensive list of intersex conditions, although ISNA (Intersex Society of North America) clearly state that few intersex individuals have gender identity issues (see the second link):
   
   http://www.isna.org/faq/conditions
   http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender
   
   To determine if you are intersex, you can get a karyotype (chromosome analysis) through your doctor or online lab services. As to costs, it is difficult to determine using google but people who have discussed this in online forums have said about $1,500.
   
   https://labtestsonline.org/understan...is/tab/sample/
   
   Full transition will provide the closest results to having a female sex (for MtF) through electrolysis, HRT, SRS, and FFS & BA if they are needed, although nothing will alter chromosomes - which means there will be no ability to menstruate or conceive a child. However, genetic women do not stop being women if they've had hysterectomies or have opted to not have children.
   
   
   
   
2. And then there is the condition of transsexualism or transgenderism (internal gender ID), for people who have normal sex chromosomes XX-female or XY-male and whose gender ID does not match their chromosomes. This is self-determined and no one can tell another they are not internally who they feel they are, in my opinion, no matter what medical procedures they choose to undertake, although a popular sentiment in this forum is that people who are serious enough will go through transition to at least living full time as the gender opposite than birth. Science has not yet determined what causes feelings of gender identity that differ from chromosomes, although there are different theories. I’m posting the link from the TS Road Map website because many people here think highly of the site, although other websites focus on other explanations and honestly I think that access to a good medical library will provide the latest in terms of theories.
   
   http://www.tsroadmap.com/info/transs...sm-causes.html