HELP! Am I intersex or not?

[Guest Talon]

Hi all,

I have been a member at Laura's for a long time now but it has been a while since I was last active. I've only ever posted in the different transgender forums. I'm FTM transgender and am on T. It is great and I know for sure I am trans. But I am not sure if I am also intersex and I really need to know. I feel a very strong need to find out. You've probably heard this many times before but I am really uncertain about how to go about this.

Ever since I first started learning about different intersex conditions, I felt very drawn to the subject and I immediately read about so, so many things that I recognize in my own life. I have always felt like a boy trapped in a girl's body. But my body has never been all that feminine. My mom, aunt and grandmother all have a high level of testosterone and my grandmother and aunt both have PCOS. My mom's doctor, for some reason, is not able to give her a clear diagnosis as to whether or not she has PCOS. My mom, aunt and grandmother have all struggled with excessive body hair and on my aunt's part also sterility. Throughout my life I have had a more than average amount of body hair, pretty much equivalent to the normal amount for a bio boy at the various stages. Also, I have always been way bigger bodied than most bio girls. I am 9' 5" which is not really that uncommonly tall these days but I have always had very wide shoulders, big hands and big muscles etc. And a deeper voice. I have never been able to use feminine body language or mannerisms successfully. It's like my whole being was never designed for it and no matter how hard I ever tried I could never pull it off. Even at my girliest when I had long hair and stuff, people still took me for male. But as far as I know, my genitals have always been normal looking. I definitely haven't had any surgery performed on me without my knowing and have never been "oversized". Before T, of course. Sorry, it's just that when I read about intersex people, I feel such a kinship, like a home feeling, like it would fit perfectly on the story and memories of my life.

I have tried to do my research to find out how to determine if I am intersex or not but I am having trouble with it. I have seen all kinds of answers from "you have to get your chromosomes checked" to "intersex can be so many different things that if you have any out of the ordinary traits of the opposite sex, you are intersex".

I feel like it is absolutely necessary for me to find out if I am intersex or not. I feel like it is a big part of my identity to know. But how do I go about it? How do I know if I am intersex or not? Can any of you tell me where exactly to draw the line between intersex or not intersex, or where the doctors draw the line? I so want to know what I am or am not but I am so confused...

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Talon.

[VickySGV]

It will take medical testing in some form to really find out. There are some medical tests less that are less than full genetic mapping that can give a competent professional a 51%+ certainty of a condition. My suggestion would be to contact a local university and offer yourself as a test candidate for study of your hormone levels and a bunch of things of that nature. Possibly your own doctor can refer you to something of that nature, or you can find one online. There are many possibilities as to what could be happening in your system, but without some body chemistry work, it will be next to impossible. If the doctor orders the tests just offhand they will be expensive as all get out, but as a research subject, it will be travel and personal time that are your costs.

I have been a research subject on several occasions, and was happy to take part in the experience.

[Guest miss kindheart]

Hi Talon



I might be a bit off here , but this is my take on it

Intersexxed is a newer name for hermaphrodite , or herm

I thinkt that it mostly refers to those born with both male and female genatils

a ultra-sound and T&E levels should be reavealing

As for all the chromasome and genitic stuff idk

idk= i don't know

my advice is to not be so quick to put labels on yourself

Talon sounds like the only one you really need

Be good

vanna

[Guest Talon]

Thanks for your replies I appreciate it. Not a bad idea to become a test candidate.

I know it won't change who I am, I just really need to know because soon as I learned about intersexuality it seemed like something I've always felt without knowing if it's actually true or not. Also, if I am actually intersex it would change my rights where I live a great deal. I'd be able to change my gender on my birth certificate and passport which I am not allowed to do as a transperson. Of course, I don't want to be diagnosed as intersex so I can change my gender or anything like that. I just want to know where I stand and what my options are

Thanks for taking the time to get back to me and hope you're having a great day

[Guest N. Jane]

Intersex refers to a whole range of conditions, not just 'ambiguous genitalia', but there is ALWAYS a medical abnormality.

The first step in testing for Intersex conditions is a chromosome test. The second is a complete hormone panel. An MRI or ultrasound can be used to detect any internal abnormalities. A complete DNA sequencing can be used to detect any genetic abnormalities but if you have ever had normal periods, it isn't likely that you have any sort of Intersex condition.

The good news is that, being in Canada, the testing is covered by government health insurance. Start with your family doctor and request a referral to a geneticist. The geneticist will arrange for any additional testing he/she feels is appropriate. Expect the testing to take 1 or 2 years!

Good luck!

[Guest Sunshine]

Yup, definitely tests needed.