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Now this topic has come up from time to time, the issue of Gender Identity. I was reading a post Aimee did back in September that started a very long discussion. I know i am about 5 month late but I want to put my 2 cents in. (chances are this topic will come up again anyway)
One thing I like to point out as a scientist, is that science can be flawed when it comes to an answer for a topic. In order for a scientist to be deemed credible he or she has to be absolute. Absolutely one way or the other with no room for possibilities. Look at the weather man and how much credit we tend to give him when he says, Maybe, Might be, Possibly, Chance of, Should, Would, Could, ect.... The problem is (and most scientist won't admit this) is that GENDER determination (and not SEX determination which is a whole nother topic) is a lot like predicting the weather. There is so much we either don't know or don't understand.
In Aimees case (and once again i wish not to offend) just becasue she was born with a penis (or something close to it) doesn't nessasarily mean her brain has been completely masculinized. Just becasue testosterone or other androgens have a dramatic effect on female genitals does not mean they would have the same effect on the brain. And it is equally POSSIBLE for adrogens to have a masulizing effect on the brain but virtually no effect on the genitals. Its a possibility but you will never see it written in a report. Doing such would say homosexuality is absolutely born.
Masculine effects on the brain or lack there of are FACTORS that CONTRIBUTE to gender idenity. They MAY BE very powerfull overwhelming factors or they MAY NOT BE. (I sound like the weather man). It is an individual case by case situation. And if you are a hard nosed scientist who beleives in absolutes, then it would be impossible to explain away all the possible variations. Spatial abilities are masculine traits attributed to testosterones actions on the brain. There are plenty of women wo are not lesbian who can read a map better than any man, and there are plenty of men who could not read a map to save thier lives but they are not gay. It burns me up, as a scientist at heart to see so many blinded by ignorance and call it unwaivering logic. Even Mr. Spock (the vulcan) will acknowledge a possibility when one exist.
One study a while back was done on gay goats (I wish I had the website) goats that would exclusively mate with other male goats even when females were present. The scientist theorized the Sexualy Dimorphic Nucleus was feminized, or did not respond to prenatal testosterone therefor creating the "gay behavior." This would have been a clear cut case showing homosexuality was nature, these are goats, no nuture was involved. at the conclusion of the experient the goats heads were cracked open, the brains dissected and sure enough, the SDN was female. The problem arose when only HALF of the gay goats had female SDNs the other half were completely normal, there was no genetic, hormonal, or physical reason for them to want to mate with other male goats but they do. So the scientist were left scratching thier heads and as far as i know the experiment has not been repeated.
Aside from the scientist saying for absolute certainty masciline effect on the female brain will result in lesbianism or tomboyish behavior, there are a few scientist who use a bit more common sence. In my 1st post I mention boys with micropenis are castrated and raised as females, becase the penis is no bigger than the average clitoris. I followed up on that claim to make sure I speak the truth. immediate castreation and female gender were the norm 20 or so years ago. Now adays, the child is reared as a BOY because of the POSSIBLE masculizing effects on the brain. And surgery is left open as an option latter on in life depending on how the PATIENT feels about the issue. Now those are Drs who operate on common snece with the best interest of the patient in mind. I wish all drs were like that.
