International Transgender Day of Remembrance
Yesterday was Transgender Day of Remembrance. It’s a sad fact that I can name off the top of my head Trans people I have known personally who have died either directly or indirectly as a result of hate crimes targeted at them because of their gender.
Intersex Day of Remembrance is 8th November. Not fitting to gender spectrum that is so prevalent - either through being trans or being intersex is dangerous.
Let’s be clear - biological sex based on chromosomes comes in a lot of varieties - XX, XY, X (Turner mosaicism), XX (male), XXY, XYY, XXYY, XXX, XXXX, XXXXX, XXXXY … the list goes on. Triple X syndrome occurs in 1 in 1000 female births and most people who have it don’t know.
XX (male)’s who have a functioning SRY gene generally have no idea they are not biologically male.
In biological sex you need both a complete SRY gene and a Y chromosome to be male.
Each chromosomal variation comes with attendant health issues, which is what, contrary to some things that get posted around, on medical forms this is what the gender question is asking.
For example Triple X people don’t have normal EEG pattern results (which could lead to misdiagnosis of neurological issues), are at a greater risk of scoliosis, and tend to suffer from premature ovarian failure at a higher rate (though most Triple X people are fertile).
Let’s also not forget that even today in many countries children born with indeterminate gender (contradictory or incomplete presentation) are routinely reassigned based on what are now fairly arbitrary criteria.
(The most common criteria is which set of genitalia appears more complete or in the past it was automatic to reassign to female as this was the more survivable operation).
Gender comes in as many varieties as there are people on the planet loosely grouped it a few sets of identities, but variable and unique to each individual in how its expressed.
The idea that there is only male and female is against scientific knowledge about sex and genetics. It’s outmoded, outdated and needs throwing out. 1 in 1666 births is intersex, and that’s not counting people who fit other forms of Trangender identity. This needs to stop.
(cross-posted from my other tumblr because important).
