In recent times, you may have come across many different kinds of debates on news channels, hashtags on twitter, many different kinds of movements and whatnot. All of them having “transgenderism” as a common point around which they are centred. Now, you may be someone who is just here reading this article out of curiosity or someone who had questions of his or her own, confusions about your own body, or some other reason. Nevertheless, through this article, we aim to address all the many questions and confusions that are, related to this topic and ultimately answering the question “Can you change your sex?”
The Definitions
As this may come off as a very sensitive topic to many people, we are going to keep it as much factual as possible without getting into the practical details of the politics associated with it. Also before reading any further, it is very important to understand the very basic scientific definitions of “Gender” and “Sex”. Even though they have been, observed to be, used interchangeably in history given the usage of them in recent years, it is necessary to understand the difference between them.
Sex is, defined as the biological differences between the male and the female sexes. It is purely anatomical and physiological. The differences in the sexes can be, observed on an external scale through their genitalia and through the type and number of chromosomes on an internal scale. This is, also known as the male/female binary split, although it is not entirely true all the time. In many cases, it has been, found that some men are born with two or three sets X chromosomes, or some women are born with a set of two X chromosomes and a set of the Y chromosome. Such individuals are often termed as “Intersex” as they inherit both male and female genitalia. So, in purely biological terms, there are only and only two sexes “Male” and “Female” as even “Intersex” individuals conform to one of the two sexes.
Gender is a much more complex concept to understand, unlike sex. The gender that an individual may inherit is dependent not only on the genetics they have inherited but also on various other factors such as the socio-cultural role that the individual plays. Depending on these various other factors, there can be many different types of genders. As per the WHO definition, genders are socially constructed characteristics that vary from society to society and can change over time. Hence, it is safe to assume that genders may not always be, related to the genetically assigned sex of an individual at birth and individuals can identify as different genders depending on various factors.
These are going to be the definitions followed throughout the article. So, with the basic definitions out of the way, let us talk about the topic in consideration.
Can you change your sex?
Now coming to the part that you have all been waiting for. However, before we really answer the question, it would be helpful to understand what does it mean to do a sex change or more accurately put a “gender” change and for who is, it meant. As discussed earlier in the definitions section, sex on a biological level can be, only divided into two categories as “Male” and “Female” although Intersex individuals are also possible and it cannot be, changed biologically. Gender, on the other hand, is much more of a psychological concept, a characteristic made by the social and cultural constructs that can change from society to society and hence, can be, divided in many different types.
Due to these definitions, the concept of gender has attained a fluidity. Gender no longer is only conformed to the historical notions of sex only. Hence, a person can be Trans, cisgender, or non-binary among many other types. Transgender people are individuals who are, genetically assigned one of either sex but do not feel that they fit perfectly as either men or women. In fact, unlike the popular belief that transgender people are women who became men or men who became women, transgender people can also conform to not having a gender altogether, have both the genders simultaneously too. However, for the sake of this article, we are going to be focusing on the transgenderism related to the only transition from males to females or vice versa.
Although, in humans, sex change can happen apparently due to various factors. Meaning the appearance of a male or a female can change over time making them more visually perceived as someone of the opposite sex than their genetically assigned sex. However, the most common reference when talking about “sex change” is about having a “sex reassignment therapy”. The purpose of this therapy is to help individuals who have conflicts with their genetically assigned genders and sexes. The purpose of a sex change surgery is to correct the errors that were, made at the birth of the individual. Meaning that this surgery usually only refers to genital reassignment. It is, also used for intersex individuals, who usually undergo this surgery when they are children. The important factor to remember here is that even though this procedure can alter the body and make it look feminine or masculine according to the individual. At the biological level, it still does not change the genetically assigned sex at birth.
In humans, the sex of a person is determined usually through four factors.
Chromosomes,
gonads, hormones, primary and secondary sex characteristics. Of all these four characteristics, sex reassignment surgery cannot change the chromosome configuration, which was, assigned at birth. The gonads can be, removed but cannot be, replaced, meaning the testicles in a male individual transforming to a female, and the ovaries in a female transforming to a male. The hormonal levels can be, controlled through various androgenic drugs, the secondary sex characteristics that are generally, acquired during puberty such as facial hair in males and enlarged breasts in females can also be changed or induced through growth hormones during the transformation. The male and female genitalia that are the primary sex characteristic can also be changed and replaced. In summary, to go under a sex change is not quite literally to have your “genetically assigned sex”, surely, one can change their physical appearance but the biological sex remains the same as it was at birth.
To have a sex change is more like have a gender change. In fact, it has been, noted that most of the sex reassignment therapies are done for switching into a gender role of the opposite sex, as the individual feels trapped in a gender role they are not comfortable with. It can surely help the person in gaining an identity that they truly deserve and find themselves comfortable in, finally be in a body that is, meant for the individual. As discussed earlier sex and gender are two completely different concepts in today’s world, and they really should not be, mixed with each other. The aim of this article is not to hurt anyone’s feelings on the grounds of transgenderism. Nevertheless, it is to shed light on the scientific facts and living accordingly to them. The scientific facts are not in opposition to transgenderism. Rather the science supports it. However, it is still very important to note that to identify, as a gender of the opposite sex and changing one's appearance through medical procedures to “fit in” in the most comfortable manner does not scientifically change the genetically assigned sex.
In summary, the question “Can you change your sex?” depends on the perspective from which you try to answer it. From a scientific perspective which considers gender and sex to be independent, and states that the identity of a person can be fluid irrespective of the sex they were assigned at birth, but the genetic facts remain unchanged the answer is a NO. However, from a perspective where the sex and gender of a person are, considered to be, co-dependent, such that the gender role of a person in a society is dependent on the sex, the person was assigned at birth, and there is no clear distinction between sex and gender then the answer is YES. However, it can be, very clearly seen that the prior answer although sounding harsh, has a perspective, which does seem more favourable.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can only say that the purpose of the article was not to hurt anyone’s beliefs or feelings but to contribute a scientific perspective to such a sensitive topic completely unbiased of any political agenda or perspective to it. We do know that sex change is not just any other medical procedure. It is a complete transformation of the individual not only physically but mentally and socially too. To all our readers out there who would have opinions otherwise as opposed to the ones presented in this article, even though the opinions would differ, we still intend to have a positive impact and promote people who are brave enough to come out.
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