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    김치전!Kate Bennert
    5/14/13 4:45pm

    Can anybody who knows more about science than I do explain why they don't just run a DNA test to determine if the infant has XX or XY chromosomes?

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      anotsmallgirl김치전!
      5/14/13 4:49pm

      here is some information from the intersex society of north america, on the question "does having a Y chromosome make someone a man?"

      Does Having a Y Chromosome Make Someone a Man - Intersex Society of North America

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      Karljohan Pettersen김치전!
      5/14/13 4:50pm

      And if the baby has XX chromosomes and still sports a cock, you just chop it off? Also, I think I read somewhere that often in these cases it's neither XX nor XY, but XXY, XXX or such.

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    Upper-MiddlebrowKate Bennert
    5/14/13 5:01pm

    I don't think intersex surgery should be considered medically necessary or routine, it should be the choice of the parent in the best interest of the child, but the whole "this child will most likely never encounter another person of their gender during their formative years" is a compelling reason for surgery. I don't envy any parent who would have to make the choice between surgically altering their child's body, or accepting them as they are, knowing the years of difficulty they will surely, undoubtedly face because of something like that.

    Clearly it is not a reason that would compel the Crawfords to elect for surgery for their child, but, oops, their child was a ward of the State when the State signed off on this surgery. It's very sad that MC now self-identifies as a boy and has been altered to be a "girl", but I don't see how they have any parental rights in regards to decisions taken when MC was in State custody. It would seem that the doctors and state employees charged with his care at that time were making decisions with his best interest in mind, not because "ew gross, hermaphrodite."

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      MissNormaDesmondUpper-Middlebrow
      5/14/13 5:29pm

      You can't really be advocating that children should be mutilated so as to fit in. What about kids who are taller than other kids? Should we shorten their legs? What about kids who are smarter than other kids? Should we give them lobotomies?

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      fo3Upper-Middlebrow
      5/14/13 7:11pm

      Measure twice, cut once.




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    MichaelKate Bennert
    5/14/13 4:44pm

    Pretty sure this was an episode of Law & Order: SVU.

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      Matilda_the_HenKate Bennert
      5/14/13 5:01pm

      this poor child. The surgery performEd on these children is insane and barbaric and has no purpose other than making the parents more comfortable when changing diapers. (not these parents obviously and hooray for that) I did a research project in 1999 on this for my professor who has studied intersex for years and of the 7 urologists I interviewed and two grand round lectures I attended and asked questions at (as 22 year old undergrad) not ONE PHYSICIAN thought that delaying surgery until the child was old enough to decide what they wanted cut off or not from their own genitals. They were incapable of seeing past the infant stage even though most of a person'a life is as sexually mature adult and these insane and invasive (constructing a vagina and forcing 2 and 3 year old girls to wear dilators for example) procedures end up leaving the intersexed person feeling like they've been mutilated and almost always have huge dose of shame and secrecy along with it. I wish that we had moved past this and would only do surgery physically necessary - fixing fistulas for example- and forget the cosmetic genital surgery. What is considered to be "too large" of a clitoris is normally cut off and anything approaching "microphallus" was go ahead for the "it's easier to dig a hole than to make a pole" which 5 of the 7 urologists actually said to me.

      I am so disappointed that we are still here and that even though intersex conditions occur with approximately same frequency as cystic fibrosis, nobody ever talks about it. I hope this little boy grows up happy and as healthy as possible - I'm hopeful that having these parents will make the difference for him.

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        cheerful_exgirlfriendMatilda_the_Hen
        5/14/13 5:06pm

        Gawd!

        I certainly am more educated than some on this topic but that quote about poles and holes really surprised me, which just shows how naive I can still be about people in positions of authority.

        Good work on that research project. Excellent subject that certainly needs a light shined on it.

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        szygirlskiMatilda_the_Hen
        5/14/13 6:07pm

        DILATORS!? that's basically sexual abuse! thanks for this mind-peeling awareness.

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      BigSteveKate Bennert
      5/14/13 4:46pm

      Holy Shit, they have doctors in South Carolina?

      Just kidding, I know it's all veterinarians.

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        CANDYHiGHROLLERBigSteve
        5/14/13 4:51pm

        Hahahahaha. √+

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        bcagreyBigSteve
        5/14/13 11:42pm

        God dammit. I love you.

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      Kate BennertKate Bennert
      5/14/13 5:10pm

      Also, here is an interview with M.C.'s wonderful parents.

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        MissNormaDesmondKate Bennert
        5/14/13 5:21pm

        Good for them. It's too late to protect their son, but they can protect other children in the future. It's horrible that this was done.

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      deadmediaKate Bennert
      5/14/13 5:16pm

      Reminds me of the story of David/Brenda Reiner. He was a twin who had a botched circumcision and was raised as a girl only to go back to living as a man in his adult life. I read the book "As Nature Made Him" by John Colapinto a few years ago and in May 2004 David Reiner took his own life. So did his identical twin brother (who was not circumcised).

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        MissNormaDesmonddeadmedia
        5/14/13 5:31pm

        Thanks to Dr. John Money, the genius who belied that gender identity is purely an issue of socialization.

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        deadmediaMissNormaDesmond
        5/14/13 5:39pm

        He was a sick, sick man.

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      stacyinbeanKate Bennert
      5/14/13 4:44pm

      Holy. Shit.

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        svwildflowerKate Bennert
        5/14/13 5:12pm

        Doctors playing God. To do this to a child before he or she has an opportunity to determine what gender fits is simply barbaric. It doesn't take all that many years before their sexual identity becomes apparent. Then, if appropriate, surgical steps can be taken, and certainly there is no rush on this. That is not a decision that should be taken for a baby who may end up suicidal later on after finally realizing what has been done to her or him. It is a tragedy for that individual and no one else should be allowed to make that irreversible choice.

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          nimuexxKate Bennert
          5/14/13 5:41pm

          I think if the baby's health is not in danger, doctors should just leave the baby ALONE. It seems so obvious — First, do no harm? What happened to that? I remember when I was in college, reading about a Native American tribe where intersexed people were considered to be extremely holy, seers and healers. I guess in reality, they are just like anyone else, so why not just them be as they are? Why "assign" a sex? Why do surgery on a little, helpless baby who doesn't need it?

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