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The Genetics of Gender Genitalia.When assigning gender at birth, there are generally no sophisticated tests used. If there is a bit sticking out, they call it a boy, if there isn't they call it a girl. In some cases where the genitalia is not clearly developed, they take a best guess, usually based on the cultural bias of the Doctor or the parents. Genitalia are among the last things developed in humans. It is not unusual for nature to "change its mind" several times during early development and even on into puberty. Another, more sophisticated way of classifying gender is based on genes. The genetic information which governs hair color etc. is carried on tiny strings called chromosomes. These chromosomes are arranged in pairs and one particular pair is said to govern birth gender. XX denotes male, and XY denotes female. In the future, as we learn more about the genetic code that makes each human unique, we will undoubtedly discover that simply looking at chromosome pairs is as flawed as checking for the existence of a penis. |
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