So, I'm fairly sure this really doesn't belong here exactly, but I am a SO to a transguy, and I do have a question, though not actually pertaining to my SO. We honestly got this question from watching "Baby Mama," that new movie that just came out. At one point one of the women in the movie states from a book that 2% of all babies are born as "hermaphrodites". My SO got curious and looked it quickly online and found a site claiming up to 4% of babies are. But he's just not sure what the real facts are and the both of us are curious to know. I was wondering if anyone had any more supported facts about it, than just a movie and a random internet site.

Don't have any statistics offhand but just to let you know that the term 'hermaphrodite' is out of vogue and some intersexed persons find it derogatory. 'Intersex' is a more accepted term.

Well, I hope any intersex person can accept this as my appology for using that term, I don't know much about it, and I didn't really know any other term to use. I CERTIANLY did not mean to offend anyone, at all.

Thanks for your response.

Quote from: candie on May 17, 2008, 04:56:42 PM
So, I'm fairly sure this really doesn't belong here exactly, but I am a SO to a transguy, and I do have a question, though not actually pertaining to my SO. We honestly got this question from watching "Baby Mama," that new movie that just came out. At one point one of the women in the movie states from a book that 2% of all babies are born as "hermaphrodites". My SO got curious and looked it quickly online and found a site claiming up to 4% of babies are. But he's just not sure what the real facts are and the both of us are curious to know. I was wondering if anyone had any more supported facts about it, than just a movie and a random internet site.

Candie,

There is a forum here on Susan's Place that is specifically for talk about intersex. You can also look through Susan's various info pages starting here: https://www.susans.org/Intersexed/

To be honest, I don't think the % of babies born intersexed is anything like 2% or 4%--perhaps 0.2%. And the term covers all sorts of sexual ambiguities and unusual morphologies. I'll also note that lots of transgendered people often wonder if they are intersexed, because they see that as a possible explanation for their condition in life...but the vast majority are not intersexed by traditional definitions. However, in England, and possibly elsewhere in Europe, Transgender is now becoming viewed as a form of intersexed condition in its own right.

Good luck on your efforts to learn more Candie. There is also an intersex real-time chat room here at Susans. Check it out. You might find someone there who can be more helpful.

Dan

http://www.isna.org/faq/frequency

QuoteThe Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) is devoted to systemic change to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries for people born with an anatomy that someone decided is not standard for male or female.

We have learned from listening to individuals and families dealing with intersex that:

Intersexuality is primarily a problem of stigma and trauma, not gender.
Parents' distress must not be treated by surgery on the child.
Professional mental health care is essential.
Honest, complete disclosure is good medicine.
All children should be assigned as boy or girl, without early surgery.

Quote
Total number of people whose bodies differ from standard male or female one in 100 births
Total number of people receiving surgery to "normalize" genital appearance one or two in 1,000 births