Colby, who is a newborn, has genitals that do not look obviously either male or female. Colby has a structure that is larger than a clitoris but significantly smaller than the average penis, and Colby has a pouch of skin that could be a scrotum, but it does not appear to contain testicles. To increase the chance that Colby will grow into a well-adjusted child and adult, what should Colby's parents do?
A) Request that their doctor perform surgery to alter Colby's genitals to appear female, as this is more likely to be successful than if efforts are made to make the genitals appear male.
B) Avoid surgery to modify Colby's gender until Colby is older.
C) Not allow anyone to refer to Colby as either male or female, and encourage Colby to develop an androgynous identity.
D) Request that their doctor perform surgery to alter Colby's genitals to appear male, because it is easier to create a male gender identity than a female one.
Question 2
Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning recent findings or trends for intersexed children?
A) Some intersexed children left with ambiguous genitals have adjusted comfortably to this condition.
B) Genital altering surgery can impair the capacity for sexual pleasure.
C) Intersex advocates argue for a noninterventionist, child-centered approach in which an intersexed child is not subjected to genital-altering surgery, although the individual may choose such procedures later in life.
D) Most intersexed people treated under the standard protocol have expressed appreciation for having undergone medical intervention as infants.
Female in Dominican Pod, 2005
Red-crested Pochard - female
Calopteryx virgo male
Female Breast
Female Anatomy