I'm 80% Girl, 20% Boy

The question is "isn't it time to make room in our society for more than two genders?" We see Adelle talking to a friend where she says he's "completely androgynous" so the room appears to be made. In my life I've had genital surgery to reinforce male characteristics, yes it is possible. Most XXY's see themselves as male and as you can read below we have no more X sex chromosomes activated in our cells than any other person on the planet.

We're also infertile, many of us develop Klinefelter's syndrome, which involves the development of female secondary sex characteristics on our obviously male looking bodies. We are naturally the "third sex" if we do nothing; have no surgery and no hormone therapy. Of course doing nothing make us ill. Klinefelter's syndrome is a disease known as Hypogonadism, our particular brand referred to as Seminiferous Tubule Dysgenesis, which refers to the malformation of the seminiferous tubules, (you find those inside the testes) that which brings about hypogonadism, which is LOW Testosterone.

It's all really quite simple. Every single person who has a Disorder of Sex Development aka "Intersex" has a debilitating medical disease requiring ongoing medical care. Those of us who have "ambiguous genitalia" are very much the least affected even though it a sounds like they're the worst affected, they were at least discovered early, there is a major bonus to being discovered early. I had to wait until I was 16.5 years old, others have to wait until they're in their 30's or 40's or never!

Assigning sex is a dumb thing to do, lets face it with the binary sex system they're bound to get it wrong 50% of the time. That's just plain logical mathmatics. We don't know how many people they do get it wrong for, only the medical profession collects statistics on the success and failure rate and they're not so professional that they won't manipulate their statistics to bring about desired results. See circumcision statistic results in Africa to falsely show how HIV is transmitted less in circumcised men, (more genital mutilation).

I understand gender dysphoria is noted in XXY guys from time to time, Adelle's situation is not unique. The more I watch that video the more I'm convinced the surgery was hypospadias repair, which means they knew exactly she was a boy there was no debate. But children can get the wrong impression. I think she is XXY by the comment of hormone therapy as a man, but again endocrinologists don't give testosterone to XXY boys unless they choose it for themselves, they have to make the commitment. To do that they must have much more knowledge than Adelle is expressing. But then this is a British program. Whatever surgery there was, was successful. If at 18 and an adult she was under no compulsion to take T if that was her feeling. I have never thought of myself other than being male as a child. I don't understand why anyone would, and playing with dolls was commonplace for boys I recall. I just can't understand the need to change sex. Adelle talked about "they didn't know what gender she was" but that's probably that confusion of terms used rather than anything else? So if she had better sex education would she have transitioned? And she talked about being a "Tom Boy" which is a phenotypic female doing boy things, so she wasn't a doll player, she was a boy. If I had my way, if I could choose, I'd have a spontaneous abortion!

I'm very confused, as i'm new to current and it will noly let me watch a few mins of this video. can someone explain what's going on??

i just watched this and it made me smile. i thought what she wore the hospital was coolage, she's pretty ^^
it made me smile, coz most of the time people in this situation are usually crying about it like, omg this that and the other.
she seems to be happy, pretty and i would hang out with her if i could =P

p.s she made a pretty fit man too haha

I recently learned I was intersex and it a rough road.In as much as I've felt something was wrong I didnt know exactly what. I'm currently waiting on taking more tests too see just how intersexed I am.

I found out by going to the dr and explaining symptoms I had and it was diagnosed as perimenopause and after more discussion found out that it also seems as though I'm experincing McClintock syndrome at work due to working with mostly females.I was raised a boy but always felt i was more female even though I did everything I could to hide any female attributes.I was also mistaked as a female into puberty when testosterone really kicked in.
I'm amazed at just how common it really is.Some have concluded that there could be as many as 1 in 100 that are intersexed in some form.

My 'message' is I hope read by adele..if anyone knows her please pass it on.
Your confidence and understanding of yourself is really impressive. Besides being a great looking girl, a strong tomboy type certainly but still a cracker!! you come across as intelligent, likeable and very capable. I do hope all your plans really do happen, be strong girl, be yourself....... your just fine.

I too am Intersex and have met Adele when she was Adam. I have a similar story to Adele as she may remember we chatted many times about our lives and experiences. I had many operations and had and still have difficulty in relating to what gender I am even though I am both. I registered here just now and paused for a few seconds looking for the intersex button since I am not male and I am not female but I am BOTH. I have lived as a female but due to the male steroids I lost my hair and my bones became masculine so now that society sees me as male it is easier for me to live as male even though I am androgynous and bald with big tits . Even this is difficult as "Martha still wants to play". I guess society is a ass and the ignorance and hostility of bigoted twats is what make our lives so hard to differentiate. I am glad that this is now an age of education and hope that in future that we as Intersex people can go about our days just like you without having to second guess everything.

I am intersex, and when I first this I was so deeply touched I cried on behalf of Adele for days whenever I thought of her. BTW, the official medical party line - that there are only XXY males - is a crock, a Big Lie. I know XXY females and XXY neuter people as well as XXY people who are both sexes. I met one XXY female in Thailand when I was having urogenital surgery with Dr Suporn - she is a brilliant woman, with a PhD in her own field of medicine, lived a terribly difficult life before succeeding in medicine, and she has a Harley Street practice now. "Learning difficulties" my rear end. I look forward to seeing the feature in Adele that Maxx is making. I do so hope that Adele escapes the clutches of the NHS though. I investigated them when I lived in London. The NHS has a deservedly rotten reputation on intersex and most especially in surgery such as the one Adele is seeking from them. I hope for her sake she can raise the funds to go to Dr Suporn for her surgery instead. I met another patient of Dr Suporn who is herself an NHS nurse and she told me some things that were frankly eye-opening.

Adele is so charming, she has this beauty that radiates inside and out!

All I can say is 'best of luck Adele' hope everything works out for the best. Bring on the future when hopefully the human race will be more evolved and civilised.

interesting. don't they usually have more of one than the other to begin w/? is that really impossible to tell at birth? i think it would make the decision easier. but maybe not, maybe i'm wrong.

but i've also read that we all basically start out as women and based on how genes develop male genitals form later in process.

intriguing either way. i'm glad she's able to get assistance

we seem to find ways to put people down all the time. if you are happy one gender or another it should be ok. if you are both it makes you no less human and gives no one the right to judge you.

to this day people still confuse the gender of my son yuri, even though i dress him like a boy. Hes not intersex though, but people still think hes a girl. If he had been intersex, i would have let him decide when he was older and as his mom i'd kick the crap out of anyone that made fun of him about it. So i think intersex or transgender or whatever should be free to decide their own fate, nevermind the desires of their looser conservative parents.

She is wonderful!

i didnt know there was that many people with her case.. it must be hard to be on her shoes.. everything will turn out well.

The World is getting very scary now....It's getting more and more difficult to distinguish women from transexuals now AHHHHHHHHHHH scary stuff

A very moving story; it has brought to my eyes an issue I knew very little about. I am glad that you posted this... learning something new everyday.

Just curious... if a third gender is recognized legally the person won't be a he/she? I don't really know much about the issue, like I said, but I'm interested in learning and knowing more.

Brilliant film! well done Current for raising awareness around the massive issue of people who live "beyond the gender-binary"!

Thanks for uploading such an interesting pod. It's time the "normal" people out there know about diversity. Each one of us is much more than just "different" or a "rare" genetic variant. After all, nature delights in diversity.
May i ask a question? Could someone please tell me what is the music in the background? Who plays it, and the name of the theme...It matches just perfectly with the video :D Thanks again. Greetings.

1 in 2000.. thats not a very high odd for a condition i never new exsited

Thank you for broadcasting this, It was a real eye opener, that really reveals the truth in a hidden pain in confusion like that. It makes my confusion so much less, and I really liked this program.

Thank you for broadcasting this, It was a real eye opener, that really reveals the truth in a hidden pain in confusion like that. It makes my confusion so much less, and I really liked this program.

I think nothing about this subject.

Sometimes it seems the human race would be better off if it were asexual.

wonderful wonderful piece. I studied gender identity and intersexed individuals for a while in college and Im glad its becoming a subject thats being addressed more. People need to wake up and realize that its not black white boy girl gay straight....gender is something that society has created. from the moment we are born our gender is determined not by our genitals but by how we are treated. pink blankets and kitchen sets for girls....blue shirts and race cars for boys. this is what determines our gender.

also fun fact: many runway models and high fashion models are intersexed individuals....the extra testosterone is what makes them tall and lanky.

Such a brave, beautiful person fighting for the most basic recognition of who she is. Such a basic thing shouldn't be so hard.

Both enlightening and touching; I hope it results in better education, not only for parents but for teachers and those in the medical profession so that proper advice can be given to those in similar situations.

Well done you Adele; imagine what you can accomplish now you have achieved this! I hope life gets easier for you from here; keep smiling that lovely smile and I'm sure it will.

Nice person.

I like her! She is really awesome. Nice (mostly) lady. mmmhmmmm.

Very moving and inspirational.

What's with the music in this pod? Is it supposed to give me some predetermined reaction? If people have the money and desire to get help, then doctors should put their beliefs aside and help these people.

This is so interesting. I remember learning a little about this in Bio of Women in college. I definitely think that intersex children should be given the option to choose their gender and be brought up in a gender-neutral sort of way, so as not to try to influence them to one side or the other.

In any case, I wish Adele the best of luck!

I think that because of the binary relationship our culture has with gender this is really confusing to most people (Do I say him, her, it?). And because 1 in 2000 are XXY there needs to be a new gender type called out. Him, Her and something like Xym (Pronounced Zim- for the masculine) and Xyr (Pronounced Zer- for the feminine) to aid in the integration of a gender type into our language and culture?

Just a thought...

Great pod BTW.

that was wonderful. i admire the strenght it must take so much.

Good luck Adele: you deserve to have whatever you want. This is a brave pod and I feel priveleged to have seen it.

(continued)

Causes

No one knows what puts a couple at risk for conceiving an XXY child. Advanced maternal age increases the risk for the XXY chromosome count, but only slightly. Furthermore, recent studies conducted by NICHD grantee Terry Hassold, a geneticist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, show that half the time, the extra chromosome comes from the father.

Dr. Hassold explained that cells destined to become sperm or eggs undergo a process known as meiosis. In this process, the 46 chromosomes in the cell separate, ultimately producing two new cells having 23 chromosomes each. Before meiosis is completed, however, chromosomes pair with their corresponding chromosomes and exchange bits of genetic material. In women, X chromosomes pair; in men, the X and Y chromosome pair. After the exchange, the chromosomes separate, and meiosis continues.

In some cases, the Xs or the X chromosome and Y chromosome fail to pair and fail to exchange genetic material. Occasionally, this results in their moving independently to the same cell, producing either an egg with two Xs, or a sperm having both an X and a Y chromosome. When a sperm having both an X and a Y chromosome fertilizes an egg having a single X chromosome, or a normal Y- bearing sperm fertilizes an egg having two X chromosomes, an XXY male is conceived.
Diagnosis

Because they often don't appear any different from anyone else, many XXY males probably never learn of their extra chromosome. However, if they are to be diagnosed, chances are greatest at one of the following times in life: before or shortly after birth, early childhood, adolescence, and in adulthood (as a result of testing for infertility).

In recent years, many XXY males have been diagnosed before birth, through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). In amniocentesis, a sample of the fluid surrounding the fetus is withdrawn. Fetal cells in the fluid are then examined for chromosomal abnormalities. CVS is similar to amniocentesis, except that the procedure is done in the first trimester, and the fetal cells needed for examination are taken from the placenta. Neither procedure is used routinely, except when there is a family history of genetic defects, the pregnant woman is older than 35, or when other medical indications are present.

"If I were going to say something to parents who have had a prenatal diagnosis, it would be 'You are so lucky that you know," said Melissa, the mother of one XXY boy. "Because there are parents who don't know that their sons have this problem. And they will never be able to help them lead a normal life. But you can."

The next most likely opportunity for diagnosis is when the child begins school. A physician may suspect a boy is an XXY male if he is delayed in learning to talk and has difficulty with reading and writing. XXY boys may also be tall and thin and somewhat passive and shy. Again, however, there are no guarantees. Some of the boys who fit this description will have the XXY chromosome count, but many others will not.

(read the rest at link)

(continued)

Based on these studies, the XXY chromosome arrangement appears to be one of the most common genetic abnormalities known, occurring as frequently as 1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000 male births. Although the syndrome's cause, an extra sex chromosome, is widespread, the syndrome itself-the set of symptoms and characteristics that may result from having the extra chromosome-is uncommon. Many men live out their lives without ever even suspecting that they have an additional chromosome.

"I never refer to newborn babies as having Klinefelter's, because they don't have a syndrome," said Arthur Robinson, M.D., a pediatrician at the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver and the director of the NICHD-sponsored study of XXY males. "Presumably, some of them will grow up to develop the syndrome Dr. Klinefelter described, but a lot of them won't."

For this reason, the term "Klinefelter syndrome" has fallen out of favor with medical researchers. Most prefer to describe men and boys having the extra chromosome as "XXY males."

In addition to occasional breast enlargement, lack of facial and body hair, and a rounded body type, XXY males are more likely than other males to be overweight, and tend to be taller than their fathers and brothers.

For the most part, these symptoms are treatable. Surgery, when necessary, can reduce breast size. Regular injections of the male hormone testosterone, beginning at puberty, can promote strength and facial hair growth-as well as bring about a more muscular body type.

A far more serious symptom, however, is one that is not always readily apparent. Although they are not mentally retarded, most XXY males have some degree of language impairment. As children, they often learn to speak much later than do other children and may have difficulty learning to read and write. And while they eventually do learn to speak and converse normally, the majority tend to have some degree of difficulty with language throughout their lives. If untreated, this language impairment can lead to school failure and its attendant loss of self esteem.

Fortunately, however, this language disability usually can be compensated for. Chances for success are greatest if begun in early childhood. Sections that follow describe possible strategies for meeting the special educational needs of many XXY males.

Chromosomes and Klinefelter syndrome

Chromosomes, the spaghetti-like strands of hereditary material found in each cell of the body, determine such characteristics as the color of our eyes and hair, our height, and whether we are male or female.

Women usually inherit two X chromosomes-one from each parent. Men tend to inherit an X chromosome from their mothers, and a Y chromosome from their fathers. Most males with the syndrome Dr. Klinefelter described, however, have an additional X chromosomes total of two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome.

My question is since she was born XXY, what is the internal plumbing lie... basically, can she have kids.

very interesting and suprising....dun know what i gonna do if i were Adele...cuz i love to be both...if i got the chance....

I've seen this person somewhere before...

Also, friggin epic tattoos.

I met an XXY person some years ago. He identified as a man and so was taking male hormone therapy, which allowed him to be a man.

There are some thirty seven or so genders.

There are also XX men with complete male attributes, and XY women with complete female attributes - and in both cases they were fertile and either fathered or mothered children even though they had the chromosomes of the opposite sex.

I watched this Pod days ago and it's still stuck in my head. I found Adele to be so beautifully charming and just perfect exactly as she is. I guess what bothers me is how poor Adele was forced to dress super ultra feminine for her interview. As she stated in the Pod, she considers herself a tomboy, and as a tomboy myself I would be super pissed if I had to dress up in make-up, heels and a dress. Just because I prefer T-shirts and Jeans doesn't make me any less of a woman, and it shouldn't make Adele less of a woman either.

so wait, she/he has a period?
i find it ridiculous that society is trying to impose stereotypes of straightness when people are attracted to members of both sexes.

This is very interesting. He looks nice if I saw him walking down the street I wouldn't know what sex he was because he looks androgynous the face,body, and voice could go either way. I hope whatever he chooses to do will make him happy in life.

I wonder if this is predictive programing?

In several ancient cultures, there was thought to be a third gender with mystical powers. Babies with ambigious genitalia were worshipped as having knowledge from both genders. Where along the line did we decide to chuck this away and perform surgery on our babies?

This was a lovely video, and it was so great to see all the supportive comments.

It's comforting to see how accepting people can be. It gives me hope.

Seems like a normal person

Great example of why people should be taken as they are and not stereotyped especially by something so fluid as gender.

I liked the dual play of societies expectations of people as either male or female and Adele's expectations of how the doctor would behave which happily didn't materialise. Did the F/M ask to film the consultation?

I found this pod to be informative and moving. My heart goes out to that beautiful woman. One in Two-Thousand... that is a startling statistic because it seems like I should know more intersex people. However if parents are allowed to make the choice for them when they are babies, then it sort of makes sense. I probably know more intersex folks than I think I do...

This pod brings to light so many intricacies of how our government and society co-exist, and reveals some aspects which are in dire need of change.

I'd hit it

People should never have to choose and decide because of society, society changes because of US, not the the other way around.

it's so annoying how people are so disgusted by ritual female castration (like in Africa/Asia and what not), but they don't realize that genital mutilation is so common in the US/UK/Everywhere.

i may have just fallen in love!

In my church, most rituals are in praise of the "male, female, both and neither' that is God (or whatever you want to call it).

Truly inspirational.

wow, i was really touched after watching this.

she is so beautiful both inside and outside. i wish society would just let people be who they want to be.

She looked really good as a man. Almost like JT. lol.

I watched this earlier today and it has stayed with me.

Very moving.

I too, was unaware that so many were born intersexed.

wow, this is really interesting, i never relised that such a thing was so common. you know whats so shocking though, is the bit at the end, god dam government, they work for US THE PEOPLE, WHEN WE SAY JUMP, THEY SHOULD SAY HOW HIGH, NOT JUST IGNORE US.

i really wanna meet this person now and buy her something yellow lol

hmmm interesting!

this is heartfelt, and really fascinating. it makes more logical sense to me than people who go for a sex-change operation without being born with this condition.

like the ink

Very interesting and informative pod! Thanks for this.

1 in 2,000 are born intersexed, and 1 in 1,000 is born transgendered. Most of us are bi.

Sex, sexuality, gender, and identity will always be grey areas, there never was, nor will there ever be just "the norm".

I am one of the "1 in 2,000" and have found nothing but kindness, understanding, and normalcy for most of my life (growing up was a bit hard!)

Yes Shabuboo, it is wonderful to see kind and positive comments! Thank you!

Thanks everyone for watching and leaving such kind and positive comments, its great tsee people are starting to be open to a further understanding of such issues.

If a person is born with a distinct identity that will not fit conveniently into one of society's norms, why should we insist that person chose or change? It is society that must change, adapt, and accept that something greater than ourselves influenced this person to be as they are. Those on the conservative right who espouse Christian values must be open to the idea that God creates and this could very well be part of our human evolution. Who are we to criticize a gift from God?

This is exactly the kind of awareness that needs to be out there. How can people say that marriage has to be between a man and a woman because that's "natural" or the way God intended when people who are intersex are real, biologically made that way, and not so uncommon. That completely ostracizes them along with people who are homosexual. It is insane how many people do not know how common intersex actually is.

All I know is that I'd be his or her friend regardless.