GWS: We have talked about men and women, but what about the other sex?

Question

I just realised that, for the most part, we don't really discuss about the third gender.
How do you feel about people living with both of these genitals? It exists, there are children born with a varied condition of this syndrome, and often many parents have to choose to either force the child into either of the two gender spaces, which is very common, or try to raise the child as a blank slate away from these societal rules.

One case study was a person in the states who decided, very late on, to live as a male. When he was born, his parents decided for him to surgically change him into that as a female. Which he was never told of until he hit his teens under the stress and social norms of 'what a girl should be'. Under peer pressure, he tried to ingest pills in order to get a period, only to nearly bleed to death. This kid went through a lot just to fit in and 'feel normal' in our society, until he decided he was happier being a guy, and now has his own wife and kids.

Some people have to go through alot to fit in, only because we all grew up forming strong identity norms simply by our physical appearance. And inevitably, these people will have to interact with people raised in these norms. How do guys react if their best friend is really an intersex, or that the 'girl' they met and wanted to date was really born with the rare condition?

I know it's alot of questions and it is confusing, but really, what is your perception of the third gender? The people born with the condition, and how they had to live their life with people like us?

Just share your feelings and opinions about this issue.

Answer 1

In my opinion correcting an intersexed infants genitals is the highest form of genital mutilation. I have read many many studies and even those who later in life self-identified as their assigned sex still regret that their genitals were tampered with. We all start to self-identify our gender around age five so up until that point raising a boy or girl isn't that different so I think waiting until the child self-identifies is the best course and parents and doctors should leave the decision about their genitals up to them in adulthood.



I would have no problem being with someone who had an intersex condition. Oh their privates look different oh big whoop the person is more important to me.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twe8p0R8tms

Answer 2

Well first of all there is no third gender. As I will continue to say, saying there is a third gender is like mixing orange juice with pepsi and calling it the third drink. It's still Pepsi and Orange Juice just mixed together. It's not an entirely whole new drink with completely different properties.



The same goes for tthe "third gender". You can only be male, or female, or both, but not some brand new gender or sex that is entirely different from male and female.



People who say they are the third gender are elitists who only call themselves that to feel more special and unique about their circumstances when they are absolutely just a mixture of the same sh*t.



Now, you asked a lot of questions in your post, so I will try to sum up the rest as best I can. Hermaphrodites live based on what gender they feel most. If they feel more female, they live and are treated as female. If they feel male, same thing. If they feel equally both, then they lilve a queer lifestyles constantly blending gender roles.



If a guy had a girlfriend who was a hermaphrodite, guy would most likely flip out, think he himself was gay, and behave very homophobic. If it was a mature guy with an opened mind, he will accept her, know he himself is straight, and continue forward with her.



Transgendered people are similar. What ever sex they feel they are, they behave more like that and date people based on what their sexual orientations are, hoping to meet understanding people.



One thing I have noticed is that these people tend to be very heterophobic because of how they were treated in the past. This means that even when most of them meet a good guy, they flip out and judge them the same as the people from their bad experiences, which makes it further difficult to meet the right people.



EDIT:

One last thing, a kid should definitly NOT be operated on if they are born as a hermaphrodite because no one knows what gender the child feels they are yet. You do a sex change before the kid has even developed as a person, and you are at high risk of sexually lobotomizing the childs sexuality. The fact that specifically some doctors don't get that is horrendous.

Answer 3

"Middlesex" was an fascinating book based on a lot of research. I recommend you read it if you are interested in how one might deal with it.



Intersex people are not a third gender. They are either male or female with some extra ... "equipment". I've seen some folks on Discovery who are now productive individuals in our society. I think it's hard as hell for them, but I applaud them for going through with whatever decision they make.



And, as usual, I like to put things in perspective. A few weeks ago I had a few drinks with Anna, a girl with no arms. Things could be harder - is what I'm saying. She was doing everything, including smoking her cigarette and talking on the phone, with her feet. The way I found out about her life was to just ask her what happened and how she gets around. She was very happy to educate me. This is what I suggest you do as well - just ask. I'm sure intersex people would like for us not to be such morons about their condition.

Answer 4

It's an interesting article. Becoming less homophobic as a society is probably the best way to help them. As a parent I wouldn't try to force them to be one sex or the other. Instead I would let them develop and decide on whether to get an operation as an adult theirself. I'd like to find out if the government or h.m.o.s is willing to monetarily assists in medical procedures of cases like this.

Answer 5

I find these people fascinating because talking to them and studying them gives an insight into how much of human behaviour and psychology is based upon our physiology and how much is socialized.

There was a case I've heard about of a boy who was raised as a girl. Maybe it's the one you are referring to.

http://www.amazon.com/As-Nature-Made-Him-Raised/dp/0671047922

"Following a botched circumcision, a family is convinced to raise their infant son, Bruce, as a girl. They rename the child Brenda and spend the next 14 years trying to transform him into a her. Brenda's childhood reads as one filled with anxiety and loneliness..

As Brenda makes the decision to live life as a male (at age 14), she takes the name David and begins the process of reversing the effects of estrogen treatments".



I don't know enough about intersex conditions but as the case of David shows it is hard wired brain physiology from birth that seems to drive somebody's sense of their gender identity and NOT social construction through socialization. I find it annoying that some feminists still believe changing gender typical behaviour is possible by tactics such as getting boys to play with dolls and girls to play with trucks. These feminists should learn from cases like David's.

Answer 6

I don't think is a third gender, It's more like a person being born with a physical defect. A midget is a person born different but he wouldn't be consider sub human or a separate spicies. A man born with a vagina is still a man between his ears, he just have an extra body part, like someone being born with six fingers in one hand, all he has to do is remove the extra finger and case solved. The problem is when you remove the vagina before the person realizes what he/she is more comfortable or what gender he was originally ment to be.

Answer 7

Technically they aren't a third sex - as someone who is intersexed, they have characteristics of both sexes.



Truthfully, I feel a little bad for them. It can't be an easy way to start your life, and if your parents guessed wrong then you're going to go through some serious identity issues. They have my sympathy.

Answer 8

The 'third sex' isn't a 'sex' at all. It's a birth defect. Just like trans sexuality. I also believe homosexuality is a birth defect as well to those that say they are 'born gay.' If a birth defect can physical then why not psychological?

Answer 9

Surely C.Austin will give us her/his sparkling analysis of the issue. I personally feel for a person who is born into that situation but don't know anyone personally. Juditha knows all and he will be able to share his wisdom when he can clear his busy schedule. IMO the parents should do everything possible to shield the child from the harassment of their peers. I would home school in this situation and take the medical opinion of the doctors into consideration in regards to handling the whole hermaphrodite complication.

Answer 10

i would not tag somebody as a loser, because of the fact they have undertaking getting informal dates. some human beings do exactly no longer pick informal intercourse and this guy has been drawing near much less receptive women. It in simple terms skill that he has been fishing in a dry pond, that's all.

Answer 11

If my kid was born with both, I would have left both and let them decide when they grew up. Regardless as to what the doctors suggested! Men and women do have different roles, but it is not for us to decide who is who or what is what!

Answer 12

I wouldn't want to be with somebody like that. I am not that open minded. I wouldn't even want to see it.



I don't know what is best to do at birth. I think they should pick one or the other. Female might be easier to pull off. If you can just lop off the male member and be female then I guess that's what I'd chose. Then the question is what do you tell the kid about it, and when? I mean just imagine the teasing if kids found out about it at school.

Answer 13

I think if I were to have an intersex kid (not happening since I'm not having any kids at all), I would not operate and would let the kid decide for [hisher]self. I don't really know what to say beyond that, although I think the existence of intersex people shows just how constructed gender is.

Answer 14

Nope

Answer 15

I don't have any feelings about it. I hope they manage well and are accepted into society, but their existence does not affect me in any way.

Answer 16

They are not gay or straight, mixed up people. It's amazing.