Althouse: "Ambiguous genitals? You may have wrinkly genes."

September 6, 2013

"Ambiguous genitals? You may have wrinkly genes."

"If nothing goes wrong, an XX individual develops as a girl, whereas an XY individual develops as a boy...."

11 comments:

Anonymous said...: Fascinatong! So many things can go wrong, it's amazing we have so many perfectly normal humans running around. So men can be turned into females (in appearance) by this XY reversal. I would assume these people would be infertile.

Wrinkly genes, no way of ironing them out yet.; 9/6/13, 11:40 AM
Kevin said...: Ambiguous Genitals, weren't they that band that recorded:

Oh! Oh? Oh.; 9/6/13, 11:49 AM
Michael K said...: The testicular feminization syndrome, also known as androgen insensitivity syndrome, affects at least one famous actress who is genetically an XY.; 9/6/13, 11:57 AM
Heartless Aztec said...: I got a lot of "wrinkly". Especially at my age. Genes? Not so much. Who knew?; 9/6/13, 12:22 PM
Mark said...: A number of other cultures have a third gender. No wonder.; 9/6/13, 12:58 PM
Titus said...: I have taut testies.; 9/6/13, 1:54 PM
Gabriel Hanna said...: The word "bald" is not meaningless simply because we have ambiguous cases, and "male/female" do not cease to be valid categories either.

The rumors about Jamie Lee Curtis, btw, are false.; 9/6/13, 2:51 PM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: Tags: gender difference

Ummmm. I believe that should be "sex difference."; 9/6/13, 3:17 PM
stellastruck said...: Oh yes, it's all very interesting. One thing I find especially interesting is that people with XY genes and complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (whose cells don't respond to androgens at all) are born and raised female and almost always end up identifying as heterosexual females while people with XY genes and 5-alpha-reductase deficiency (so they respond correctly to testosterone but not other androgenes while in the womb) are born and raised female and almost always end up identifying as heterosexual males.; 9/6/13, 3:32 PM
hoyden said...: Interesting research. The bottom line is play the hand you are dealt, even when you don't have all the answers for why you are the way you are.; 9/6/13, 4:29 PM
n.n said...: It happens. We know that individual human beings come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. We know the numerous causes that produce this variety. What's important is that we only seek to normalize conditions and behaviors which have a redeeming value to society and humanity, while tolerating other conditions and behaviors when it is reasonable and possible.; 9/6/13, 5:34 PM