Thinking I May Be Intersexed (and Insurance Questions).

[Wynternight]

I posted this on the Intersex Talk forum and didn't get anything in response so I figured I'd migrate it here as it's as much a TS issue, dealing, as it does, with insurance questions.

Hello all, looking for some input here.

I've known I had GID issues since I was a small child. I don't think I need to go into detail here, of all places, about feeling more like a girl from around age five or so, trying on my mum's clothing, towels as skirts and wigs, not liking male pursuits, etc. I'm sure many of us know these things well.

But lately, over the past year or so, I've begun to think I may be intersexed. I'm suspecting, and considering karyotype testing, to rule out PAIS vs. MAIS vs. Klinefelter's (though I know the last seems to be controversial in some circles vis-a-vis it being an intersexed condition). The reasons I suspect these things are:

Sparse/atypical body hair distribution
More feminine fat distribution
Wide hips
Gynecomastia
Small penis/testes
Low to non-existent sex drive
Shy and introverted
Apparently feminine features (I get called ma'am or referred to as she or her constantly, even presenting as male [though I do have long hair and earrings]}

I was looking into some insurance coverage for transition and some do say they'll cover GRS as long as there is no pre-existing chromosomal condition present so that makes me leery of having this done and possibly attached to my medical records. But on the other hand, for my piece of mind, I'd like to know.

As I imagine I'm not the only one who's been here I would appreciate some input.

Thank you.

[Ave]

I posted this on the Intersex Talk forum and didn't get anything in response so I figured I'd migrate it here as it's as much a TS issue, dealing, as it does, with insurance questions.

Hello all, looking for some input here.

I've known I had GID issues since I was a small child. I don't think I need to go into detail here, of all places, about feeling more like a girl from around age five or so, trying on my mum's clothing, towels as skirts and wigs, not liking male pursuits, etc. I'm sure many of us know these things well.

But lately, over the past year or so, I've begun to think I may be intersexed. I'm suspecting, and considering karyotype testing, to rule out PAIS vs. MAIS vs. Klinefelter's (though I know the last seems to be controversial in some circles vis-a-vis it being an intersexed condition). The reasons I suspect these things are:

Sparse/atypical body hair distribution genetics
More feminine fat distribution              were you an overweight child/teen? that will do it
Wide hips                                             genetics/ overweight as a child
Gynecomastia                                      again, were you overweight?
Small penis/testes                               again, genetics
Low to non-existent sex drive             as compared to...? T doesn't always change your sex drive
Shy and introverted                             personality type unrelated to being IS
Apparently feminine features (I get called ma'am or referred to as she or her constantly, even presenting as male [though I do have long hair and earrings]} your face doesn't look unusually feminine

I was looking into some insurance coverage for transition and some do say they'll cover GRS as long as there is no pre-existing chromosomal condition present so that makes me leery of having this done and possibly attached to my medical records. But on the other hand, for my piece of mind, I'd like to know.

As I imagine I'm not the only one who's been here I would appreciate some input.

Thank you.

Comments in red...

[Wynternight]

My responses to your responses are in blue. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Sparse/atypical body hair distribution genetics Decreased secondary terminal hair is part of AIS

More feminine fat distribution              were you an overweight child/teen? that will do it Can also be indicative of Klinefelters

Wide hips                                             genetics/ overweight as a child Also potentially indicative of Klinefelter's

Gynecomastia                                      again, were you overweight? Not at the age in which the gynecomastia was diagnosed.

Small penis/testes                               again, genetics Also possibly from AIS or Klinefelter's

Low to non-existent sex drive             as compared to...? T doesn't always change your sex drive On it's own not particularly contributory but when taken as a whole...

Shy and introverted                             personality type unrelated to being IS Incorrect. Again not too contributory alone but people with Klinefelter's often have such personalities.

Apparently feminine features (I get called ma'am or referred to as she or her constantly, even presenting as male [though I do have long hair and earrings]} your face doesn't look unusually feminine The people with whom I interact daily who ma'am me constantly seem to disagree. And I do mean daily, all day, every day I'm called ma'am or asked if I'm male or female.

You can't cherry pick signs and symptoms and use them, one by one, to refute anything. You have to take a holistic assessment. Taken together I see enough to make me suspect something.

I was looking into some insurance coverage for transition and some do say they'll cover GRS as long as there is no pre-existing chromosomal condition present so that makes me leery of having this done and possibly attached to my medical records. But on the other hand, for my piece of mind, I'd like to know.

As I imagine I'm not the only one who's been here I would appreciate some input.

Thank you.

I guess I can do the karyotype testing on my own, without going through insurance, to keep it off the books, so to speak.