Intersexuality
Biological and cultural perspectives on sex anatomy often conflict with one another. On one hand, many cultural customs only perceive two sexes: male and female. On the other hand, biology demonstrates that approximately 1 in 500 people have a different genetic sex karyotype than XX or XY.
Statistical Occurrence of Intersex Conditions
The frequency of intersex conditions varies by population. Estimates range that some form of intersexuality affects 1% to 4% of the population. Some estimates show that 1 in 500 people is affected by intersexuality of some form or another. These estimates include conditions such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia and individuals with abnormal hormonal levels.
The Effect of Intersexuality on the Genitals
The appearance of our sexual organs is determined by the sex chromosomes. The sex chromosomes differentiate the sexual organs. For example, they may indicate that a person’s gonads should develop into ovaries, testicles, or a combination of the two known as ovo-testes. The gonads may develop into fully functional or non-functional sexual organs. Once developed, the gonads produced hormones that indicate the type of external genitalia that the body will develop.
A common misconception is that intersex individuals have two sets of genitals. However, it is an incorrect presumption. Although the genitals may appear at first glance to be nearly identical to a typical appearance of male or female anatomy, there can be obvious or subtle differences.
Sometimes the difference is so subtle that the condition may not be discovered until many years after birth. Intersexual genitals that initially appear female, may have an enlarged clitoris or posterior labial fusion. Intersexual genitals that look nearly male may have a small penis or hypospadias.
In other cases, the difference may be more obvious. The phallus may be so small that it could be categorized as an enlarged clitoris. The appearance might be affected by a split, a scrotum without testes (an “empty scrotum”), an outer labia, and even a small vagina that opens into the urethra rather than into the perineum.
Public Attention toward Intersexuality
The Olympics has brought the biological viewpoint into public light; there are varying chromosomal sexes other than the traditionally-recognized male and female divide. In fact, a number of Olympic athletes have been disqualified because they do not fit strictly into the male and female categories.