Gender Identity

    Your gender identity can be determined by someone other than yourself. That's what many doctors believe at least.  Sally Lehrman's Going beyond X and Y sheds light on the despair inflicted upon "intersex" individuals by the assumptions of insensitive doctors. Although it may come as shocking to many unfamiliar with the medical field, "a baby's genitals might not match the reproductive organs inside" (Lehrman 1). In an attempt to define sexual normalcy, Lehrman   strives to prove that "sex hormones do not drive neural development and behavioral differences of their own"  (Lehrman 2). The focal point of the article; however, is the need to modify the vocabulary used to categorize the "disorder of sexual development" (Lehrman 2). This stance, unassailable by even the most conservative minds, is unquestionably the most efficient way to raise awareness and impede the suffering of transgender individuals. 

    Ambiguously sexed babies ultimately suffer through discrimination and intolerance. With simple changes to one's vocabulary, the pain will be decreased exponentially. Words such as "pseudohermaphrodite" and "hermaphrodite" are "vague and hurtful" to the effected individuals (Lehrman 2). Some people mistakingly believe the unscientific words don't cause pain and others are insensitive enough to give no thought to their words. Precise scientific terms give the ambiguously sexed individuals exactly what they deserve: an opportunity to avoid social scrutiny. The term disorder of sexual development (DSD) serves as accurate medical terminology that "avoids humiliating intersex individuals" ( Lehrman 2). To truly understand the heartache of discrimination, we must try to see from the eyes of an intersex individual.Cheryl Chase, an intersex woman, has experienced firsthand the agony of damaging intersex nomenclature. Failing to recognize mixed sex characteristics as a lifelong medical condition, one of Chase's doctors referred to her as a "formerly intersex" individual (Lehrman 2). This seemingly innocent use of words left an indelible scar on Chase. With a slight word adjustment, the doctor could have spared Cheryl Chase from pain. 

    The next time you sling a word around that could possibly offend someone, imagine that your child is the one suffering from a lifelong medical condition. In order to spare intersex individuals from anguish, we must empathize and make a small adjustment to the names commonly used. This is a miniscule change to make in order to ensure to them what all people deserve: happiness. 

Works Cited

Lehrman, Sally. "Going Beyond X and Y."  Scientific American. May 2007. 24 Feb. 2009 sciam.com=going-beyond-x-and-y>.