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Friendly neighborhood biologist here. I see a lot of people are talking about biological sexes and gender right now. Lots of folks make biological sex seem really simple. Well, since it’s so simple, let’s find the biological roots shall we? Let’s talk about sex.
If you know biology you will probably say that biological sex is caused by chromosomes, XX for female, XY for male. This is chromosomal sex, but is it biological sex? Turns out there is only one gene on the Y chromosome that really matters to sex. Its called the SRY gene. During human embryonic development the SRY protein turns on male associated genes. Having an SRY gene makes you “genetically male”. But is this biological sex”?
Sometimes that SRY gene pops off the Y chromosome and over to an X chromosome. Surprise! So now you’ve got an X with an SRY and a Y without an SRY. What does this mean? A Y with no SRY means physically you’re female, chromosomally you’re male (XY) and genetically you’re female (no SRY). An X with an SRY means you’re physically male, chromosomally female (XX) and genetically male (SRY). But biological sex is simple!
Sex related genes ultimately turn on hormones in specific areas on the body, and reception of those hormones by cells throughout the body. Is this the root of “biological sex”? “Hormonal male” means you produce normal levels of male associated hormones. Except some percentage of females will have higher levels ‘male’ hormones than some percentage of males. Ditto ditto ‘female hormones’.
If you’re developing, your body may not produce enough hormones for your genetic sex. Leading you to be genetically male or female, chromosomally male or female, hormonally non-binary, and physically non-binary. Well, except cells have something to say about this …
Maybe cells are the answer to biological sex? Cells have the receptors that ”hear” the signal from sex hormones. But sometimes those receptors don’t work. Like a mobile phone that’s do not disturb. Call and cell they will not answer.
What does all this mean?
It means you may be genetically male or female, hormonally male/female/non-binary, with cells that may or may not hear the male/female/non-binary call, and all this leading to a body that can be male/non-binary/female. Try out some combinations for your self Notice how confusing it gets? Can you point to what the absolute cause of biological sex is? Is it fair to judge people by it?
Of course, you could try appealing to the numbers. “Most people are either male of female” you say. Except that as a biology professor I will tell you biological sex is complicated. Before you discriminate against someone on the basis of biological sex & identity ask yourself: have you seen your chromosomes? Do you know the genes of people you love? The hormones of the people you work with? The state of their cells?
Since the answer will obviously be no, please be kind, respect people’s right to tell you who they are, and remember that you don’t have all answers. Again: biology is complicated. Kindness and respect don’t have to be.
Jennifer,
Thank you for posting! I loved reading this!
Chloe
An interesting read, thank you.
There are of course many theories out there and in the end, at least for me, the why matters little. I’m a happier, better person for what I’ve accepted of myself.
I really like the end part, being kind and respectful is the easy part…pass it on.
Olivia
I went to my first crossdressers party in 1978 or 9. I was 30. At time the only terms I remember were crossdresser or transvestite. I remember hearing about Christine Jorgensen getting a sex change. Every few years new terms came about. I really never paid any attention to them. I just knew I loved dressing as a woman. I think there are too many terms today. I think it confuses people more than helps them.
TerriHi Jennifer,
In a single post you’ve stretched my understanding of genes, chromosomes and hormones to the point of breaking, Love it.
In defense of science:
Science gets a bad rap sometimes, because most of the population are unaware of subject specific knowledge. It’s just not possible for any but a very small number of us to gain expertise in any one field. If we’re lucky we can understand the basics.
Then along comes some expert with fuller knowledge or new research who says e.g. … ‘err, I should point out there’s a bit more to it than just XX and XY’ and threatens to upset the apple cart called ‘simple explanation’.
And a poor soul like me quite understandably thinks “Oh no! Not now. I was just about getting my head around why the sky is blue.”.
Sometimes life isn’t fair. Or simple*
Marti x
* – unless you’re into Zen 😉
All I know is that my urges to dress in femme came long before I had any concept of what sex was. That being said tells me that something happened during conception that gave me too much or not enough of something.
I resemble the OP in that I am non-binary.
I have all of the requisite male bits and pieces but I am definitely missing the macho bits. I have innate leadership abilities but no ambition to be one. I have no interest in team sports and I lack the basic abilities to engage in any sports involving a ball. OTOH I mastered calculus in the 4th grade and I am a gearhead and a geek which are all masculine attributes.
Then there are the female aspects that I am not supposed to have such as a strong maternal instinct and being compassionate and caring for those less fortunate than myself. I am drawn towards expressing my femininity while having no interest in my masculinity. I am attracted towards the opposite sex but I find intelligence to be the attribute that I value more than any physical attraction.
I agree wholeheartedly with Jennifer that kindness and respect are way more important than which boxes are checked off on the binary scorecard.
I hug my friends both male and female because physical contact of that sort is a means of expressing how I feel about them. That is probably the thing that I am missing most of all right now.
Thank you Jennifer for your question. I do not know what “we” are because I am not even sure what I am. A good friend of mine put it this way, there are males, females and humans. If I was to hazard a guess we ladies fall into the humans category.
Virtual hugs to all of you.
Rowena 👩🏻🦳
Rowena – Thank you again today. HUGS!!!
Your post fits me to a T. While I was born genetically male, it was definitely on the low end of that scale.
I, too, never took to sports, either watching or playing. I did try football as a sophomore but destroyed my knee which was a tremendous reason to never go back.
While I have my male “bits,” they are just on the “blink and you’ll miss them” end. Yet my Breasts and especially my nipples have always been my most erogenous zone.
I find my feminine side is much deeper and wider than my masculine side; any sad story or movie and my wife knows to put the tissue box between us.
I’ve never been in a physical fight – When provoked, I always choose to just walk away.
As I have posted in several forums and in my profile, my cross dressing started with my mother and sister and I’m sure my mother innately knew that while I was born and categorized as a male, there were a lot of reasons my internals did not match my external being. And, she was so very right, and I continually thank her in my mind for recognizing that feeling and starting me on the path to find my true nature.
I was typically male in some facets of my life: I loved fast cars, making them faster and louder and hanging with my friends. I always dated women and had no desire to extend that to a man. Throughout my life I’ve always had male friends but I always preferred to just “be with the girls.” My wife (pre-Covid) always noted that in a big couples gathering, we both ended up with the girls.
While I’m still deeply closeted, I do enjoy the feelings that my mind conjures up, I do enjoy my private “Joan Marie” time and dressing to let Joan Marie be a physical manifestation of our shared personality. I only wish my mother could talk with her “youngest daughter” and we could talk and cry together.
Thank you for your posting as it was able to give me the time to reflect on my split genes. And a big Thank You to all the girls on this site for all your support, sharing and making this a safe space for us to meet virtually.
Love & Kisses to everyone!
Joan Marie
A very good explanation. I know this will not make me popular but I dont think it justifies letting those of us with xy chromesomes compete in women’s sports. In all other things no problem
Hi Deborah,
No argument from me about GMs in women’s sports. The separate categories exist, based upon inherent differences in skeletal structure and muscle development. One might compensate for this with a handicap protocol, such as exists for jockeys in horse racing or golf; but as it is now, trans women have an unfair advantage.
Morning gals, I agree with the Jennifer ( so great to have a professor in our midst ) with the added data from a number of articles from Newsweek magazine. They can be found by googling “Newsweek Transgender”. My take is that along with any fundamental chromosomes within the body, there is an array of activity that occurs during gestation. One of which is called the estrogen wash- fascinating info. Some of the Newsweek articles have to do with MRI’s that show brain response that is identical to the brain response of the identified gender. So if you mix in all the possible variables in prenatal and postnatal development, even within the transgender world, we are all so different. On the surface, it would appear that I love being a woman. And that is totally true, but actually beneath that I love being myself and that is a woman. My daughter is studying to be a psychologist and she read recently that the most harmful thing you can do to a person is to prevent them from being themselves. Ain’t that the truth?
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