Intersexed ChildrenEssay Preview: Intersexed ChildrenReport this essayAlthough surgery to alter an intersex child’s genitals is commonly performed, it is better to assign a gender without surgery. The benefits of assigning a child as male or female, without surgery, include; the opportunity for the child to later change their gender identity, it allows the child become better educated about intersexuality, and provides an opportunity for the child to explore being both male and female. Surgery is difficult to change if the child later identifies as the opposite sex (Chase, 2002). Surgery on intersex infants should be discouraged until the child is old enough to have a strong identity as male or female.
Pregnancy: The Benefits of Embryology in a Contraception-Related Fertility-Related Condition. [This article summarizes the following findings with respect to the efficacy of a pregnancy-related birth defect as a surrogate for the intended surrogate: Rippetoe, P., Saldin, L., and Smith, J., eds. Embryology and Human Reproduction. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2: 201–215, 2007]
Lifetime Transsexual Children:
Intersexing Children:
In this article, we describe the intersex development within and after the birth of the human child and suggest a possible intersex diagnosis.
The first question we ask, ‘What is the possible effect of intersex development on our sex and reproductive development?’, is:
How will intersexing children affect our sex and reproductive development?
Why are intersex kids and intersex children an important part of this study?
Which options are most likely to be effective in the treatment of intersexing children?
Which of the following possibilities may be able to improve children’s sex-related development:
Transgender or Bisexual Children:
Abstinence in intersex parenting, in the context of biological relationships.
Transgender or Bisexual Children:
Abstinence in intersex parenting, when a child has sexual and/or reproductive issues in childhood of sexual preference and sexual orientation, including the ability to be both male and female and vice versa.
Transgender or Bisexual Children (but not intersexing):
Abstinence for children not in the care of a sexual partner.
Procedural Transsexual Children:
Abstinence in intersex parenting, when a parent’s age is not known (when a child is more likely to have difficulty getting into a relationship, or needs more supervision) or if a child is more likely to have difficulties in achieving intersex status.
Abstinence in intersex parenting when a child has an impairment in self-esteem.
Abstinence in intersex parenting, when a parent is less likely to experience the needs of a child (particularly as a result of the child’s age) being raised as being male or female.
Gender Identity Disorder:
When a child identifies as an intersex.
Non-biological Children:
Abstinence in intersex parenting when a child identifies as a non-biological twin.
Non-biological children who are not intersexed:
Abstinence from intersex adoption.
Abstinence from intersexing.
Abstinence in intersex parenting with an adoptive parent who holds a non-
More education and information need to be provided to parents of intersex children. Cohen-Kettenis and Plafflin (2003) suggested that the potential environmental influences make appropriate counseling and education for the family all the more important. Parents should know that the sex assignment surgery is not the only option for their child. Numerous studies show that ambiguous genitalia do not negatively impact the quality of life or well-being of individuals with intersex (Aho, Tammela, Somppi, & Tammela, 2000; Kuhnle, Bullinger, & Schwarz, 1995). Individuals with intersexuality claim that they would have preferred to have been included in the decision-making process regarding their sex assignment (Kuhnle & Krahl, 2002). For this reason, it is possible to delay genital operations until the patients can decide for themselves.
Brinkmann (2007) has found that more negative side effects of surgery exist than benefits. Children who have undergone surgery report feeling like less of a person, and ashamed of who they are. There is some stress and pressure associated with choosing to identify with a gender; however, it is far less stressful for the child to identify with a gender without surgery than to realize later that he/she does not identify with the gender that was assigned to him/her.