Hermaphrodite: structure of reproductive organs

History of the concept

The concept of hermaphroditism originates in ancient Greek legend. Hermaphrodite was the son of two gods - Hermes and Aphrodite. He took his big name from two parents: Herma from Hermes and Phrodite from Aphrodite. The parents themselves were unable to pay attention to Hermaphrodite, so the non-poisons took up his upbringing. At the age of 15, he wandered around his native places, and one fine day the nymph Salmacis, who lived in the water, fell in love with the young man. One day Hermaphroditus approached a source of water in which a nymph lived to quench his thirst. Salmacis saw the young man and at that very moment fell in love with him. The hermaphrodite also became inflamed with passion for this nymph and asked the gods to unite them into one inseparable being. The gods fulfilled his request. This is how, according to legend, hermaphrodites appeared.

How were hermaphrodites treated before?

The phenomenon of hermaphroditism underlies widespread beliefs about androgynes (creatures capable of changing their gender). In the Middle Ages, sexual metamorphosis was considered a matter of evil spirits, and the inquisitorial practice of the 16th–17th centuries. is rich in cases of persecution of hermaphrodites. So, in Darmstadt in the 16th century. there was a case of baptism of a baby of dubious gender in the name of Elizabeth, then John, and the subsequent transformation of John again into Elizabeth, who was finally burned at the stake.

Can hermaphrodites have children?

Hermaphrodites, as a rule, cannot have children; they are infertile.

How to determine the original sex of a hermaphrodite?

The answer is quite simple - genetically or by chromosome analysis.

Can hermaphroditism be cured?

Many doctors claim that hermaphroditism can be cured, and the sooner such treatment is started, the better - there will be a greater likelihood of avoiding a double life. The ideal period for eliminating such a problem is considered to be the first years of a child, because correcting this problem consciously for an adult is always psychologically more difficult. On the eve of the operation itself, the main question is the choice of hormones that will be administered to the patient, changing his sexual characteristics.

Hermaphroditism is one of the developmental defects that occurs in one in two thousand newborns.

Who are hermaphrodites from a legal point of view?

This issue is developed in most detail in Muslim jurisprudence. The regulations regarding hermaphroditism boil down to the following: hermaphrodites approach the male or female sex, according to which they follow the legal status of one or the other sex. If such an approximation to one of the two sexes does not exist, then they occupy a middle position. During prayer in the mosque, they must stand between men and women and pray like women, and during pilgrimage they must wear women's clothing. As a co-heir, the hermaphrodite receives half the male and half the female.

Roman law does not allow a legal middle ground between the two sexes: the rights of a hermaphrodite are determined by the sex that predominates in him. This principle is also followed by modern European legislation (Russian legislation is completely silent on this subject). European legislation leaves it to parents to decide the gender of the hermaphrodite; but the latter, upon reaching 18 years of age, can choose the gender to which he wishes to join. Third parties whose rights are violated by such a choice have the right to demand a medical examination.

Treatment of hermaphroditism is strictly individual. When choosing gender, the functional predominance of the female or male body is taken into account. Mostly operations are performed on the external genitalia, but there are cases of operations to completely eliminate hermaphroditism. After such operations, constant monitoring by specialists is necessary, but in general the prognosis is favorable. Unfortunately, childbearing in such a case is impossible.

Types of hermaphroditism

Natural hermaphroditism

Hermaphrodite- an organism that has characteristics of male and female, including having both male and female genital organs. This state of the body can be natural, that is, the species norm, or pathological.

Hermaphroditism is quite widespread in nature - both in the plant world (in this case the terms monoeciousness or polyecyny are usually used) and among animals. Most higher plants are hermaphrodites; in animals, hermaphroditism is common, primarily among invertebrates (coelenterates, the vast majority of flat, annelid and roundworms, mollusks, crustaceans and some insects).

Among vertebrates, many species of fish are hermaphrodites, and hermaphroditism is most often manifested in fish inhabiting coral reefs. With natural hermaphroditism, an individual is capable of producing both male and female gametes, and a situation is possible when both types of gametes, or only one type of gametes, have the ability to fertilize.

Synchronous hermaphroditism

In synchronous hermaphroditism, an individual is capable of simultaneously producing both male and female gametes. In the plant world, this situation often leads to self-fertilization, which occurs in many species of fungi, algae and flowering plants.

In the animal world, self-fertilization during synchronous hermaphroditism occurs in helminths, hydras and mollusks, as well as some fish, but in most cases, autogamy is prevented by the structure of the genital organs, in which the transfer of one’s own sperm to the female genital organs of an individual is physically impossible.

Sequential hermaphroditism (dichogamy)

In the case of sequential hermaphroditism (dichogamy), an individual consistently produces male or female gametes, and a change in the phenotype associated with the entire sex occurs. Dichogamy can manifest itself both within a single reproductive cycle and throughout the life cycle of an individual, and the reproductive cycle can begin with either the male or female phase.

In plants, as a rule, the first option is common - when flowers form, the anthers and stigmas do not ripen at the same time. Thus, on the one hand, self-pollination is prevented and, on the other hand, due to the non-simultaneous flowering time of different plants in the population, cross-pollination is ensured.

In the case of animals, a change in phenotype most often occurs, that is, a change in sex. A striking example is the many species of fish, such as parrotfish, most of which are inhabitants of coral reefs

Abnormal (pathological) hermaphroditism

It is observed in all groups of the animal world, including higher vertebrates and humans. Hermaphroditism in humans is a pathology of sexual determination at the genetic or hormonal levels.

This is interesting! Cleaner fish live in families of 6-8 individuals - a male and a “harem” of females. When the male dies, the strongest female begins to change and gradually turns into a male.

Distinguish between true and false hermaphroditism:

True (gonadal) Hermaphroditism is characterized by the simultaneous presence of male and female genital organs, along with this there are both male and female gonads. In true hermaphroditism, the testicles and ovaries can either be combined into one mixed sex gland or located separately. Secondary sexual characteristics have elements of both sexes: a low timbre of voice, a mixed (bisexual) body type, and more or less developed mammary glands.

The chromosome set in such patients usually corresponds to the female set. True hermaphroditism is an extremely rare disease (only about 150 cases are described in the world literature).

False hermaphroditism (pseudohermaphroditism) occurs when there is a contradiction between the internal (chromosomal) and external (structure of the genital organs) signs of sex, that is, the gonads are formed correctly according to the male or female type, but the external genitalia have signs of bisexuality. The cause of hermaphroditism anomalies is a failure at the genetic level during the intrauterine development of the fetus. When a child is born, it is determined by its external genitalia whether it is a boy or a girl. Although hermaphroditism can often be detected only when the child begins puberty.

This is interesting! In some species of flatworms, such as Pseudobiceros hancockanus, the mating ritual takes place in the form of fencing with dagger-shaped penises. Being hermaphrodites, both participants in the fight strive to pierce the opponent’s skin and inject sperm there, thus becoming the father.

Hermaphroditism is a rather mysterious phenomenon and the exact reasons for its development are not clear to medical scientists even today. The existence of hermaphrodites has been known since ancient times. According to legend, the first of them was the bisexual son of Hermes and Aphrodite.

There are many known cases of this pathology in animals, but sometimes a similar phenomenon occurs in humans. Depending on which gonads predominate, have an advantage in their importance, certain female or male characteristics appear. This applies to:

external genitalia;
mammary glands;
voice timbre;
hairline.

The predominance of male or female gonads even affects the manner of behavior or gait, the level of psycho-emotional sensitivity, and character. The most common is true hermaphroditism, leading to infertility, disruption of psycho-emotional balance, and sometimes even to inappropriate and immoral human behavior.

Symptoms

Obvious signs of hermaphroditism are the discrepancy between the established sex of a person and its characteristics, more precisely:

the presence of well-developed mammary glands in men;
deformation of the penis;
formation of the male genital organs according to the female type;
the presence of male external genitalia in women;
amenorrhea associated with the absence of the uterus and appendages;
the presence of a full vagina and a significantly enlarged (to the size of the penis) clitoris;
the presence of a so-called “blind” vagina and displacement of the urethra.

In some cases, the patient goes to a medical facility with a suspicion of an inguinal hernia, but during the examination it is discovered that the testicles are located in the depths of the enlarged labia.

According to scientists, this pathology is caused by a genetic failure and is the reason that a person has both male and female secondary sexual characteristics. Researchers distinguish two types of disease:

true or natural hermaphroditism;
false.

The emergence of both forms is caused by a process during which, even during the intrauterine development of the fetus, genes and chromosomes change, they mutate and a disruption in hormonal balance occurs in the body of the mother or fetus.

Hermaphroditism in humans, otherwise called bisexuality, occurs in both men and women. And in both cases it can be true or false. Only a highly qualified doctor can make a final diagnosis and prescribe an adequate solution.

True bisexuality

Ambisexuality, bisexuality, or true hermaphroditism is quite rare. According to statistics, this is only 1 case per 10 thousand newborn babies. In this case, germ cells of both sexes will be found in the body immediately after birth, and a visual examination will reveal the presence of sexual characteristics inherent to both sexes.

Bisexuality determines the presence of both male and female gonads in the patient’s blood. True hermaphroditism can be:

Bilateral, when at the location of the gonads on both sides there is either an ovotestis, containing tissue cells of both gonads, or an ovary and a testicle. Moreover, the ovotestis, like the ovary, is located in the abdominal cavity, and the testicle is in the inguinal canal or descends into the scrotum.
Unilageral - on one side there is an ovotestis, and on the other there is an ovary or testicle.
Lateral is characterized by the absence of ovotestis, but there is an ovary on one side and a testicle on the opposite side.

The peculiarity of such gonads is that the ovaries can be full, and the testicles completely lack the process of producing sperm. and estrogens in these cases are produced normally, secondary sexual characteristics are mixed. Hermaphroditism in humans is a rather rare phenomenon, whereas in the nature around us it is characteristic of many living beings, fungi, and plants.

For example, for worms to reproduce, one individual is enough, in the body of which there are germ cells of both sexes. This pathology is so rare that during the entire period of observation and research, only two hundred similar cases were recorded. Much more common is another pathology associated with the presence of gonads of one sex and secondary sexual characteristics of the other. This is false hermaphroditism.

Pseudobisexuality in women

If true hermaphroditism presupposes the presence of a testicle and an ovary in the patient’s body at the same time, then false hermaphroditism is a condition in which the structure of the genitals and their appearance inherent in one or another sex does not correspond to the gender of the gonads. The cause of hermaphroditism in women can be intrauterine virilization of the fetus. This is possible:

if there is a tumor in the mother’s body that produces or stimulates the production of androgens (male sex hormones);
the second reason is the woman’s regular use of medications that increase the level of androgen production;
the third is congenital dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, which is responsible for the stable production of progesterone and other hormones.

This pathology can be inherited. If it is present, the formation of the gonads proceeds correctly and the ovaries do not differ and there are no developmental disorders. Secondary sexual characteristics have characteristics of both male and female. The severity of the changes depends on how high the degree of mutation is. This may be a slight enlargement of the clitoris, or it may have formed genitals in appearance and size that do not differ from those of men.

Additional signs of pathology can be considered the presence of well-developed muscles, a rough voice, and increased secondary hair growth in the fairer sex. Often such women perceive themselves as a man, and others treat them the same way. Much more dangerous is the situation in which, even in the delivery room, immediately after birth, a child is assigned male gender in accordance with his external sexual characteristics, but only over time it turns out that his gonads are ovaries. Living for some time in ignorance, such a person voluntarily classifies himself as a passive homosexual.

False bisexuality in men

Male pseudohermaphroditism is a pathology in which a man has male gonads and female external genitalia. There are two forms of this pathology:

hypospadias, which is characterized by abnormal development of the urethra;
cryptorchidism, when abnormal development is characteristic of the male gonads (testicles).

If true hermaphroditism is extremely rare, and a case where a patient had full female and male genital organs at the same time has not been described at all, then false bisexuality occurs quite often in both women and men. Hermaphroditism presupposes infertility, but healthy women are carriers of the genome capable of passing it on. In men, the pathology manifests itself in the form of androgen insensitivity syndrome.

The tissues of the male body become insensitive to androgens (male sex hormones), and sensitivity to estrogens (female hormones), on the contrary, increases noticeably. Despite the fact that the patient looks like a woman, he has:

the vagina is completely absent;
despite the presence of female genital organs, there is no menstruation, since there is no uterus;
the mammary glands are quite enlarged (developed according to the female type);
Secondary hair growth is insignificant or completely absent.

The main distinguishing feature is the incorrect location of the testicles. They are not located in the scrotum, but in the inguinal canals. They can be found deep in the labia majora or in the abdominal cavity.

Feminization of the patient may be complete or incomplete. This depends on how high or low the level of sensitivity of the male body tissues to androgens is. In cases where a doctor diagnoses Reifenstein, the patient has genitals that are almost completely externally consistent with being normally developed, full-fledged and functional.

Types of false hermaphroditism

There are three types of false hermaphroditism in men:

feminizing, in which the patient has a female body type;
virile – typically masculine physique;
eunuchoid - the mammary glands are undeveloped, but there is no secondary hair growth and the timbre of the voice is greatly changed.

Turning to specialists for the treatment of hermaphroditism is caused by discomfort and the patient’s desire to achieve a match between the inner world and the existing appearance. The possibility of surgical treatment is often determined by the patient’s gender, but in some situations (with minor defects of the external genitalia) correction is possible.

In any case, therapy is strictly individual, and according to the doctor’s decision, the patient may be prescribed hormonal drugs and drugs that stimulate the function of the pituitary gland. It is important to regularly attend psychotherapeutic classes and communicate with a psychologist. Diagnosis and treatment of this pathology must be carried out in early childhood, which places a huge responsibility on pediatricians.

Hermaphroditism in humans (true) is a pathological disorder of a congenital nature, caused by the presence of two types of gonads - testicle and ovary (ant. dioeciousness). Sometimes an uncharacteristic gonadal set of mixed structure (ovotestis) is also found. The symptoms of true hermaphroditism do not have strictly typical characteristics; it all depends on which gonad in the body is most active. Treatment, causes and diagnosis are different in each specific case.

In general, “bisexuality” can be characterized as a developmental defect of the reproductive system, when the diagnosis reveals double symptoms (men and women). As a rule, doctors mean its false form, when there are signs of development of the internal sex glands of one sex, and the external organs of the other (or with symptoms of obvious “bisexuality”).

Duality: mysticism and reality

Even in times of complete equality, gender differences have not lost their relevance, and the possibility of combining male and female characteristics in one body is still considered amazing. Pathology has always been shrouded in a cloud of mysticism, and the very concept of deviation came from ancient Greek mythology as a result of the fusion of two names: Aphrodite and Hermes.

A hermaphrodite child has always been treated differently: with fear, with respect, as a curse or degradation of the family. Diagnosis of the causes, much less treatment of such “dissimilarity” was not carried out. Fortunately, in the modern world there is a scientific and reasonable explanation for everything.

True hermaphroditism. In total, there are no more than 200 descriptions of such patients in world medical practice. Much more often, gynecologists and andrologists describe the symptoms (and causes) of false hermaphroditism: when, during diagnosis, the patient is diagnosed with symptoms that determine simultaneous dioeciousness - the gonads of one sex, and the intimate external organs of the other.

True hermaphroditism, morphoforms (classification):

When a male or female secondary sexual characteristic predominates.
When clear signs of equal “performance” from both sexes are identified.
When the genital organ of one sex is present, and the gonad is of the opposite sex (sexual type of transsexualism).

Variants of true hermaphroditism, accompanied by anomalies of the external genitalia:

A complete set of external intimate organs of a man (woman) interspersed with one or more elements from the other sex.
Incomplete set of genitalia from different sexes.
A dual and complete sexual set of external intimate organs for both men and women.

But most often the diagnosis “shows” false hermaphroditism, and specifically female, with congenital adrenogenital syndrome.

Why is this happening?

The modern reasons for the birth of children “descendants of Hermes and Aphrodite” are quite prosaic. Spontaneous breakdown in hereditary information during pregnancy, when changes in chromosomes or genes occur (at an early stage of embryo formation), is associated with a number of the following reasons:

Chemical and toxic poisons (abuse or use of illegal drugs).
Irradiation.
Exposure to biofactors (viruses, bacteria, toxoplasmosis).

Changes in hormonal balance in mother and fetus.

An excess of androgens in a female fetus leads to the formation of male-type genitalia and vice versa, when a male fetus with a lack of testosterone develops female intimate characteristics, which happens when:

Diseases of the adrenal glands.
Pathologies of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland.
Neoplasms in the gonads.

Despite almost perfect science, the reasons why “bisexuality” develops in its true form are not completely clear. Some scientists suggest hereditary causes, since diagnostics revealed some familial nature of such a pathology.

What does it look like?

The symptoms of sexual hermaphroditism are not always shown to the world in all their glory; in most cases, an ordinary person may not even realize that his best friend or work colleague is not exactly who he claims to be.

Symptoms of the pathology are different and appear depending on the causes or form of hermaphroditism:

Underdevelopment of the penis.
Inconsistency of physique and voice (female type) with the indicated gender in the passport (male).
Changes in the structure of the genital organs or their complete discrepancy with the gender indicated in the passport.
“Relocation” of the urethra from the head to other parts of the perineum.
Early puberty.
Cryptorchidism, curvature of the penis.
Developed mammary glands in men.
Infertility, lack of normal intimate life.

False male hermaphroditism is a condition where visually male genitals resemble female ones due to their abnormal development during intrauterine life. The child is often recorded as a “girl”, no treatment is carried out, the parents raise him accordingly, but when the fatal mistake is discovered, it brings a lot of psychological problems to the boy with false hermaphroditism.

Some reliable facts about hermaphroditism:

This condition is more often congenital; in rarer cases, specialists are forced to note signs indicating the opposite sex during puberty.
In adulthood, symptoms of “bisexuality” appear due to the use of hormonal drugs.
Sometimes the pathology is not diagnosed for a long period, the person even gets married and is quite socially adapted. Diagnosis is carried out for infertility, difficulties in intimate life, with periodic complaints of pain in the abdominal cavity (testicles, male, not descended into the scrotum).
Sometimes “bisexuality” is combined with mental disabilities, mental disorders, which manifest themselves in dementia, increased sexual desire and a complete decline in morality.

But since deviation is a combination of characteristics of two sexes, with the dominance of both male and female sex types, there are no exact symptoms of the disease; they will be radically different in each specific case.

In addition, symptoms in young children cannot fundamentally manifest themselves, either in the true or false form of pathology, as transvestism, homosexuality, bisexuality or transsexualism. Early detection of symptoms of hermaphroditism is complex and is entirely the responsibility of pediatricians, who must clearly understand this and know the detailed differences of a possible sexual anomaly. If there is any suspicion, children are sent for consultation to the urology or gynecology department. Based on the diagnostic results, the most appropriate treatment will be prescribed.

How is the examination carried out?

Diagnostics is carried out according to the following parameters:

History of the disease.
The course of pregnancy in the mother of the child.
Were any abnormalities in the health of the newborn identified, were any anomalies observed.
At an older age, they determine how puberty proceeded.
For adult men (women): are there any problems in intimate life, infertility, decreased desire, etc.
A physical examination will reveal the presence of secondary sexual characteristics.
An examination by a urologist will help determine the presence/absence of a sexual anomaly.
Karyotyping is a way to study a person’s chromosomes, their number and composition, which will make it possible to genetically determine the patient’s sex.
Diagnostics based on ultrasound and MRI help to reveal what is hidden during an examination accessible to the doctor, and give an accurate conclusion about the true structure of a person.
Testing blood and urine for hormones.

Diagnosis is individual, the patient will have to undergo a full examination using, if necessary, highly specific methods. Treatment consists of hormone therapy and surgical methods.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of deviation is completely different from traditionally used therapy and is based on what the diagnosis has shown. The principles of treatment combine the basics of hormonal, surgical and psychotherapeutic techniques.

Hormonal treatment includes taking:

Thyroid-stimulating hormones (thyroid gland).
Sex hormones.
Drugs acting on the regulatory function of the pituitary gland.
Glucocorticoids.

Surgical treatment is carried out depending on which gender will be the priority - male or female. Psychotherapeutic treatment is necessary in order to form in the “new person” the correct ideas about the chosen gender, to adjust his behavior, way of thinking, and principles of choosing clothes.

White rash due to lack of hygiene
Ingrown hairs and incorrect underwear
Acne due to hormonal changes
Rash is not always a problem
In rare cases this happens

Throughout their lives, sexually active men sometimes develop white pimples and bumps on the penis. The event is frightening for men, however, in most cases it is not at all dangerous if you detect the problem in time and begin to fight it. In most cases, small white rashes on the penis appear due to insufficient intimate hygiene and other everyday factors, so the question of how to cure such formations is relatively simple to solve. Provided - this should be repeated - a competent approach to treatment, as well as no desire to squeeze out and heal the rash on your own. In this case, treatment will be easy and fairly quick, and sometimes an examination by a doctor even shows that nothing needs to be done.

Small white pimples on the skin of the genitals differ from their red counterparts in that they very rarely reach large sizes, but they are dense, do not cause concern and practically do not become inflamed.

White rash due to lack of hygiene

Such small pimples appear, as it seems to men, for no reason, and do not disappear for quite a long time. In medical practice, such pimples on the penis are called comedones, in folklore - millet grains (in shape they resemble millet grains, only they look even smaller), but in fact, these are microscopic cysts formed due to a thick mixture of sebum clots and exfoliated epithelial cells , which clog the mouths of the sebaceous glands.

Strictly speaking, white pimples on the penis are just “clogged” sebaceous glands, formations that develop without an inflammatory process. Since these glands constantly produce sebum, they need to be constantly open to get rid of its excess, so clogged ducts contribute to the accumulation of the produced substance, stretching nearby skin with the formation of a characteristic vesicle. Such a tubercle can “jump up” on the skin of any area of the body, however, on the skin of the male penis it will be most noticeable due to the absence of a more or less thick layer of subcutaneous fatty tissue.

“Clogging” of the sebaceous glands with subsequent white rashes on the genitals (primarily on the penis) usually occurs for two reasons:

with irregular or poor-quality hygienic treatment of intimate areas;
due to frequent changes of sexual partners (especially if a man enters into sexual contact with unfamiliar women).

Factors contributing to the appearance of white pimples on the skin of the penis are bad habits and poor lifestyle, leading to a decrease in the body's immune abilities and disruption of the healthy processes of sebum secretion. Various hormonal disorders, exposure to stress, physical and psychological exhaustion also play a significant role in this.

Treatment of white rashes formed on the penis due to insufficient hygienic care of the genitals is carried out by the simplest means - regular intimate hygiene with the use of antibacterial and antiseptic agents. Squeezing white pimples is dangerous - this way you can introduce infections into the wounds, which will lead to much more serious problems with infection of the skin (and in the future - the whole body). To safely “open” the formations, you can use topical topical agents - Differin or Skinoren ointments, which are applied to the affected areas of the skin daily for at least 21 days. There are also mechanical and surgical methods for treating white comedones, however, you should definitely consult a dermatologist about these methods.

Normalizing the functioning of the sebaceous glands of the penis, preventing the reappearance of white rashes on the skin of the genital organs, will also help normalizing a man’s diet, in particular, excluding excessively fatty, salty, spicy and smoked foods from his usual diet. In some cases (quite rare, but still occurring), it is poor nutrition and problems with impaired metabolic processes in the body that lead to the formation of a rash on the genitals, so normalizing nutrition in any case will not hurt - both in terms of treatment and prevention .

Ingrown hairs and incorrect underwear

If small white pimples on the penis are localized mainly at the base of the organ and on the skin of the scrotum, this may mean that the man has traumatized his intimate area while shaving or is wearing too tight underwear made from non-natural fabrics. In the first case, due to rough removal of vegetation, some hairs grow into the skin, damaging it, which leads to a rash. This is quite dangerous, since microtraumas on the skin of the penis when pathogenic microflora enter them can lead to serious inflammation, and you can only protect yourself from this by using bactericidal hygiene products.

As for the wrong choice of underwear, synthetic fabrics contribute to the formation of a kind of “greenhouse effect” in such delicate places as the penis area. Lack of optimal air access to the genitals, as well as rubbing, lead to circulatory problems and the formation of a breeding ground for bacteria. Because of all of the above, the skin's sebaceous glands are unable to cope with the production of their secretions, and as a result, small white pimples appear. If bacteria get on the skin in such a favorable environment, you can fear not just irritation and inflammation, but serious diseases affecting the entire body.

Since infectious lesions of the genital organs often go hand in hand with sexually transmitted diseases, men should remember: they should run to the doctor immediately if small white pimples on the penis (especially on the head and foreskin) are accompanied by the following symptoms:

skin itching and burning in areas of rashes and in the urethra;
nagging pain localized in the lower abdomen;
discomfort that accompanies the process of urination and sexual intercourse.

If you have such health problems, hygiene procedures and external products alone will not do. You will have to consult a venereologist who will conduct a full examination and prescribe the optimal course of treatment with antiviral, antibacterial and other appropriate drugs.

Acne due to hormonal changes

It is not always necessary to treat white pimples and pimples on the genitals, and here's why: such formations in adolescence are absolutely normal. Rashes on the penis are a consequence of overactive sebaceous glands in the skin, caused by a riot of hormones and complex hormonal changes. Excessive production of sebum, intended to lubricate the head of the penis, leads to the formation of tubercles under the skin, sometimes disappearing after puberty, sometimes remaining for life and not causing men any concern.

Naturally, a completely harmless white rash on a teenager's penis can cause big trouble if it is scratched or squeezed. Such actions, leading to skin damage and infection in wounds, will lead to health problems that are no longer childish. What you can do in such cases is to regularly wash your genitals with an antibacterial agent, wash your hands before each touch of the genitals, lubricate pimples, if they cause concern, with local antiseptic ointments and creams.

How can you remove the consequences of the rampage of teenage hormones from the penis or prevent their manifestation at all? Experts recommend the following measures:

carefully choose cosmetics for the care of intimate areas (or completely abandon cosmetics in favor of antibacterial soap);
wear only loose underwear made from natural materials;
observe the rules of personal hygiene – regularly and thoroughly;
apply moisturizing, vitamin-rich creams as necessary, so that the skin of the genital organs does not dry out;
eat right and engage in reasonable physical activity (sports) to clean the pores and ducts of the glands, as well as strengthen the immune system;
visit public places such as a swimming pool, saunas or toilets only if they are kept clean, and after visiting, you should definitely take a shower or at least wash your hands.

For young people who are starting to have sex and have only recently gotten rid of teenage acne, it is recommended to carefully choose sexual partners and not forget about contraception, so as not to risk contracting a host of unpleasant diseases. In addition, you should definitely visit a doctor regularly, who will assess the condition of the genital organs and, if necessary, tell you how to treat white pimples on the penis.

Rash is not always a problem

The appearance of a white rash on the skin of the genitals is rarely a serious cause for concern. With the use of local remedies or even without any therapeutic effects, they can go away on their own. However, if the rashes do not disappear within 1-2 weeks, you should definitely consult a doctor - although acne and pimples on the penis signal the presence of sexually transmitted diseases in an extremely small number of cases, there is always a chance of “being included in the statistics”. And in such situations, delay can lead to big problems.

You should consult a specialist when white rashes on the skin of the penis are accompanied by the following factors:

formations do not disappear for a long time or during the first 7-14 days they noticeably increase in size;
the genitals are affected by itching and burning, swelling and inflammation occur, due to pain, sexual intercourse and urination are complicated;
pain appears in the lower abdomen, and the lymph nodes in the groin become enlarged;
body temperature rises;
Not only does the area of the penis covered with acne increase, but the rashes themselves are filled with cloudy (sometimes with bloody inclusions) liquid;
pimples on the skin of the penis open up and turn into non-healing ulcers, painful or not manifesting themselves at all.

Even if these symptoms and manifestations are not evidence of a sexually transmitted disease, they in any case indicate that something is wrong with the man’s health, so consulting a doctor will not be superfluous. And you shouldn’t even think about how to remove such white bumps on the penis yourself - self-medication will only cause more harm to the man’s body.

In rare cases this happens

In medical practice, there have been cases where white pimples merged into whitish spots, or inconspicuous small white dots were evidence of the development of a benign neoplasm. At first glance, such formations looked like a rash that accompanies the puberty period in boys, however, their occurrence and maturation causes a certain discomfort, even pain. The difference between relatively safe acne and one that threatens the health and life of people is only one thing: the latter do not disappear after performing hygiene procedures and lubrication with local ointments. Such white rashes on the skin can threaten the development of cancer, so a man with a similar problem should consult a doctor and undergo a histological examination to identify tumor cells.

He is the head of the urology department. Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney and bladder diseases, including cystitis, urolithiasis, prostatitis, urethritis and pyelonephritis.
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Watery purulent pimples on the penis

Red pimples on the penis

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Surgery to remove prostate adenoma - everything you need to know

The disease prostate adenoma is the formation of a benign tumor in the prostate gland.

The disease has three stages:

It is characterized by the fact that the patient feels a frequent urge to go to the toilet, the stream of urine weakens, and when urinating, it flows down vertically, and not in an arc. Patients begin to be bothered by frequent urges during night sleep.
At this stage, urination does not occur completely; residual urine is retained in the bladder, causing it to begin to stretch and increase in size.
The stage is characterized by dysfunction of the bladder. It empties very poorly and is filled almost all the time. The person feels the urge to urinate, but complete urination does not occur. The liquid is released in drops or little by little at random depending on the person’s desire.

Removal of prostate adenoma is one of the most common operations performed on men over the age of 45. In most cases, it is performed using transurethral resection. The symptoms of prostate adenoma at the initial stage can be quite mild, therefore, when a patient is diagnosed with a benign neoplasm, drug treatment is no longer sufficient.

Purpose of the operation and indications for its implementation

Surgery to remove prostate adenoma is prescribed so that the tumor does not put pressure on other pelvic organs, such as the bladder, ureters, etc.

The main symptoms indicating that surgery is necessary are:

disruption of the normal process of urination (urinary retention, urgency, the appearance of bloody discharge in the urine, incontinence, etc.);
severe pain in the genital area and suprapubic area;
swelling of the genital organs;
chronic prostatitis;
chronic urethritis.

Preparation for surgery for prostate adenoma

An operation to remove prostate adenoma, like any surgical intervention, requires a series of examinations. In particular it is necessary:

Take general blood and urine tests, a blood clotting test, a blood group and Rh factor test, as well as a biochemical blood test.
Undergo kidney function tests and urodynamic diagnostics;
Get advice from a surgeon and anesthesiologist.

Also, it is very important that 12 hours before surgery, you should not consume any food, liquid, or medications.

How is the tumor removed?

Surgical intervention is always preceded by a thorough diagnosis, which is carried out using endoscopic equipment and allows you to examine a specific organ without disturbing the normal functioning of the body as a whole.

If the patient, in addition to prostate adenoma, is diagnosed with obesity, heart or vascular disease, respiratory tract diseases, endocrine disorders, surgical intervention is necessary. The operation is also recommended for those patients who have already undergone surgical interventions in the treatment of other pelvic organs (for example, the bladder) or intestines, young men for whom it is important to restore reproductive function, as well as in cases where the volume of the prostate gland is more than 70 cubic meters. mm.

Surgery to remove prostate adenoma is performed in three ways:

Transvesical adenomectomy;

Laser vaporization.

Transurethral resection is an innovative method that involves removing tumors using high-frequency electric current pulses. It is used when the prostate size does not exceed 80 ml.

The method involves inserting a special instrument called a resector through the urethra, with which the doctor plucks off or scrapes pieces of prostate tissue. The scraped areas are immediately cauterized. The doctor thus expands the urethra. Next, a catheter is installed in the canal, and if necessary, a drainage tube. Drainage is installed through the surgical wound.

However, now the skills of modern doctors are sufficient for the operation to be carried out quickly and bring a truly effective result.

Transvesical adenomectomy

Transvesical adenomectomy is an open surgical procedure. Prostate adenoma is removed through the abdominal cavity, muscle tissue and bladder. It is used in cases where the disease is advanced, the adenoma is of impressive size, or the course of the disease is accompanied by complications. After the incision, the surgeon removes the adenoma tissue by hand, then a catheter is installed in the ureter, as well as a drainage that is brought out.

Laser vaporization

Laser vaporization of prostate adenoma is the removal of overgrown prostate tissue by evaporation. For patients with poor blood clotting, prostate adenoma is removed using a laser (endoscopically).

The essence of the laser is that its rays are not absorbed by water, but are absorbed by hemoglobin. Therefore, it acts selectively on tissue.

The laser beam, hitting the adenoma tissue, causes the liquid in it to boil. The liquid turns into steam and destroys the adenoma tissue. The blood vessels seem to “automatically” thrombose, so no blood loss occurs.

The rehabilitation period after surgery to remove the prostate gland

The operation itself to remove prostate adenoma lasts about an hour. The rehabilitation period is also quite short. In most cases, in the next 1-2 days the patient undergoes lavage of the bladder, thereby ridding the organ of blood clots that have entered it. In addition, it is recommended to take antibacterial drugs for 7-14 days (in some cases, the course of taking antibiotics can be extended to 25 days).

For the first few days after surgery, the patient continues to remain in the hospital under the supervision of doctors. After a few days, the catheter can be removed from the bladder and the patient can be prepared for discharge.

After the operation, a person feels frequent false urges; the ureter is irritated by the installed catheter.

Bloody discharge may continue to appear in the urine for 7-10 days - this is not considered a complication and is part of the normal postoperative recovery process.

However, there are a number of cases in which surgery to remove a benign prostate tumor is contraindicated.

These include:

the patient has various severe intestinal diseases;
advanced state of the neoplasm itself;
problems with blood clotting;
exacerbation of the inflammatory process in any of the patient’s body systems;
varicose veins in the reproductive system;
heart failure and other pathologies of the heart;
the presence of various factors that do not allow the introduction of endoscopic equipment into the bladder cavity.

Possible complications during surgery to remove prostate adenoma

After any surgical intervention there is always a risk of complications.

Their types in the postoperative period:

TUR syndrome - is associated with the ingress of washing fluid into the patient’s vessels during surgery; this can occur during the process of flushing the bladder when the vessels are open. This type of complication directly depends on the timing of the operation.
The occurrence of bleeding. Bleeding occurs because the surgeon may touch a large vessel during tumor removal. Using the device, the doctor cannot examine it. If there is significant blood loss, a blood transfusion will be required.
Delay in urine output. It can be caused by concomitant bladder disease, the person's age, or inaccuracy in the procedure. In the latter case, the operation must be repeated.
Infection is possible when one’s own microflora is excited during surgery or infection comes from outside.
Complications caused by common causes: damage to the urethra, bladder, ureters, rectum. Development of bladder inflammation.

Postoperative complications even in the longer term can be expressed in the following:

The patient's urinary incontinence. The causes are neurogenic disorders, disruption of the urethra, which is responsible for urinary retention.
Sexual dysfunction lies in the fact that the vast majority of people have retrograde ejaculation. That is, the seed does not come out, but is pushed into the bladder. There is also a weakening of sexual functions and insufficient erection, which depend on the age of the man, the effects of medications during treatment, and the effects of surgical instruments.
Narrowing of the urethral canal. This deviation often occurs after TUR surgery. It may manifest itself as a result of incomplete removal of the adenoma or as a pure relapse (repetition).

Remember that timely surgery is almost a guarantee of recovery. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor at the first signs of the disease and if surgery is recommended, do not refuse.

Often, only with the help of this type of treatment can one preserve the reproductive function of the body (which is especially important for young men), quickly restore the normal process of urination, thereby relieving oneself of constant pain and discomfort, and also avoid serious consequences.

Today, a hermaphrodite is a person who has both female and male genital organs. This definition can, in principle, be considered correct, but it is far from the only one. Therefore, below we will talk about who a hermaphrodite is and why he received such a name.

Hermaphrodite in mythology

The word hermaphrodite appears in Greek mythology. That was the name of one of the characters, who was the son of the god Hermes and the goddess Aphrodite.

We are seen as deformed, somehow deficient anatomically, and so the way to correct this is to group us into what they deem an acceptable format, rather than allowing us to exist in society. When Ruth Spencer gave birth two years ago in the East Midlands, her midwife told her she was having a boy. He was checked by a pediatrician; Ruth and her husband received paperwork for a birth certificate. But as they were about to be released, the receptionist approached their booth.

Is the world finally waking up to off-season rights?

She asked where the birth certificate letter was written. It was our first child, it was such an amazing experience - and then they just pulled the rug out from under us. We told the family we were having a boy and we named him. Luke was born at 30am and they didn't tell us anything until 4pm. It was two more days before Luke had his ultrasound; While the Spencers waited, each new shift of midwives asked them if they were having a boy or a girl. Simple things like that could make it a lot easier, Ruth recalls.

This young man, at the age of 15, went to travel the world and, while bathing in the spring of the nymph Salacida, fell in love with her. Their feelings were mutual, and the nymph persuaded the gods to unite their destinies forever. Thus their bodies and souls merged together. Since then, a legend has appeared that every person who bathed at least once in this source himself became a hermaphrodite, if not in physical terms, then certainly in moral terms. And from then on, it became customary to call all simultaneously living bisexual creatures by the name Hermaphroditus.

Prevention of hermaphroditism in a child

Luke is now two, and the family still doesn't have a diagnosis. He had two surgeries: one was medically necessary to preserve his fertility; the other was done to avoid future discomfort for him, Ruth says. Getting out of the procedure was not easy. I trust all these doctors and yet there are such conflicting opinions about what to do. We were able to leave all treatment as long as possible so that we could attract him. It was just, this is what we're going to do. Anomaly, disorder, problem - these are all the words that are thrown at you.

Who is a hermaphrodite today?

Today, a hermaphrodite is a creature that has both male and female sexual characteristics. Most often this is the name given to a person who is a bisexual being. This structure of the human body is abnormal and is quite rare. It is a consequence of disruption of the hormonal system and the functioning of DNA chains in the body. Abnormal hermaphroditism occurs not only in humans, but also in developed animals, such as monkeys.

This does something wrong. It may not be the standard, but it is still nature. She sighs. "It's such a huge decision." In theory, parents like Ruth and Juliet should be given specialist mental health support to help them make these decisions, but provision across the country is patchy and underfunded. Even where experienced psychologists are available, they are stretched thin.

She says almost every family she meets has felt shame or embarrassment after their treatment in the maternity ward. While tests and surgical techniques have changed over the course of her career, she still hears parents describing "the same problems, the same worries, the same time purgatories" as 20 years ago.

Moreover, such hermaphroditism can be of two types:

True. Characterized by the presence of male and female genital organs at the same time. In such a situation, as a rule, only one genital organ is left at the request of the patient.
False. In this case, there is a significant contradiction between gender (external signs) and the psychological perception of one’s self (internal signs). That is, a man feels like a woman and vice versa. In this case, either long-term psychiatric treatment or gender reassignment is required.

What is a hermaphrodite in the natural world?

Back in school, during biology lessons, we were told about dioecious, polyecious and monoecious plants. So, monoecious plants are natural hermaphrodites. But not only plants can be hermaphrodites; they are also some species of fish, coelenterates, crustaceans and even insects.

Disorders of gonadal differentiation

In Bristol, Alderson works with a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, geneticists and endocrinologists. Her role is to invite families to think. All very well-intentioned, passionate and caring healthcare professionals have strong views about what is right and present options for all treatments in a way that is best. People do not feel like they are making a decision: it is very easy to accept what is offered and what seems recommended.

By creating such natural hermaphrodites, nature made sure that these species could create their offspring independently.

Females give their verdict

And how long can the operation last? Parents may hope that surgery will allow their children to be more comfortable in their bodies, but a child raised to have a positive personality about being different may be safer than one who is scarred and needs regular hospital care checks, she claims. Any surgery for these kinds of problems is a bit of a compromise - you're trying to include parents and manage their expectations, making them realize that we can't achieve normalcy, no matter how much we want or how hard we try.

external genitalia;
mammary glands;
voice timbre;
hairline.

Nichols' words may be framed in terms of "abnormalities" and "problems," but he says most parents consider sexual development disorders. Surgeons are under constant pressure from parents to “figure it out.” They want their child to be normal. They want the problem to go away. This is absolutely understandable. But the more severe your abnormality, the more difficult it is to achieve satisfactory results.

If surgery is successful enough for people to pass as their chosen gender without any complications, they don't want to broadcast what they had, Nichols points out. We don't tend to hear from people who are doing very well. You heard a lot from people who had a lot of problems. These are problems mainly with sexual function and the need for further surgery as the child gets older. These refer to procedures that were done some time ago, which are probably a little different from what many of us do now.

Obvious signs of hermaphroditism are the discrepancy between the established sex of a person and its characteristics, more precisely:

the presence of well-developed mammary glands in men;
deformation of the penis;
formation of the male genital organs according to the female type;
the presence of male external genitalia in women;
amenorrhea associated with the absence of the uterus and appendages;
the presence of a full vagina and a significantly enlarged (to the size of the penis) clitoris;
the presence of a so-called “blind” vagina and displacement of the urethra.

How then can you correctly determine the gender of a person – a hermaphrodite?

We like to think that we cause less scarring, fewer problems down the road, but we won't know for 20 years. Mark Woodward, a pediatric surgeon and urologist who works with Nichols, agrees. A small group of people who have had surgery and are understandably unhappy will distract from the true picture of the whole mass of people who were not unhappy. Based on this, it is difficult to write off the operation.

Surgery in infancy is easier than later in life, says Woodward: the tissue is easier to work with and heals better, and the distances to the bridge are shorter. Performing the surgery before the child remembers the trauma prevents them from having to go through it as a teenager. Additionally, no one has experience working with young people old enough to give informed consent.

In some cases, the patient goes to a medical facility with a suspected inguinal hernia, but during the examination it is discovered that the testicles are located in the depths of the enlarged labia.

If everyone is now too worried about these kids doing the wrong things and we say, “Let's leave it until they're 15,” who's going to do the surgery? It will not be a pediatric urologist. It's not like there's a generation of surgeons out there who will have any experience with this very niche surgery. Surgeons are becoming less experienced, if anything. There is not enough research and too few cases to draw meaningful conclusions about the well-being of intersex children who do not have surgery.

Deciding not to work with a child has some consequences, just like choosing to have surgery: raising a child with an ambiguous anatomy in a world where binary understandings of gender are still not easy. At the moment, both options are available to UK parents: opt out or opt for surgery. And while a ban on "normalizing" surgery is not imminent, the intersex rights movement is already influencing medical attitudes and surgical decisions, with a growing number of British parents beginning to choose not to have any surgery for their children.

true or natural hermaphroditism;
false.

Doctors told Tanya she was having a girl, but wrote in her notes that Clara was “ambiguous.” Darts was sent to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where they met a psychologist and an endocrinologist. They explained it so well. The option was there, but as they explained to us, it was very clear that we could leave it. They know there are big challenges ahead for Clara. They haven't decided how or when they will tell her. "We're following the advice from the hospital that it should be a very gradual process, starting from when we think it's best," Tanya says.

True bisexuality

They know that Clara will never be able to get pregnant and explained to her that some women cannot have their own children and can adopt if they want. Clara thinks that sounds very kind. But their biggest concern is how Clara might be perceived in a world that is inexorably different. Why does stigma exist? Tanya pauses. I want as many people as possible to know about these conditions. I hope there will be a day in my daughter's life when everyone knows about intersex and it's not a big deal.

In the first word, the word "sex" was replaced by the word "sex". . Here's the extended interview. When did you first discover your interest in intersex people and the biology of sexual development? In this case, it was more like people would say it's just common sense - if your clitoris is sticking out that much, you should fix it. Or, if the penis is truly too small, it should be larger. Otherwise, what kind of life will this child have? There were many patients and it was always the same discussions.

Bisexuality determines the presence of both male and female gonads in the patient’s blood. True hermaphroditism can be:

Bilateral, when at the location of the gonads on both sides there is either an ovotestis, containing tissue cells of both gonads, or an ovary and a testicle. Moreover, the ovotestis, like the ovary, is located in the abdominal cavity, and the testicle is in the inguinal canal or descends into the scrotum.
Unilageral - on one side there is an ovotestis, and on the other there is an ovary or testicle.
Lateral is characterized by the absence of ovotestis, but there is an ovary on one side and a testicle on the opposite side.

The peculiarity of such gonads is that the ovaries can be full, and the testicles completely lack the process of producing sperm. Androgens and estrogens in these cases are produced normally, secondary sexual characteristics are mixed. Hermaphroditism in humans is a rather rare phenomenon, whereas in the nature around us it is characteristic of many living beings, fungi, and plants.

And it was mainly about contracting the clitoris. He has a book called Herculinus Barbinus. It basically tells the story of this girl who apparently has a big clit. She goes and gets sexually aroused when she sleeps in other girls' beds, as was normal for girls. She goes to this religious institution for girls until eventually someone finds out and then it's a big scandal.

Hermaphroditism in nature

She becomes a pariah and she commits suicide. The definition of normal has always been an obsession of mine. How do you determine what is abnormal versus normal? But why did you decide to study intersex issues for the rest of your career?

My scientific bent was excited about this because not only did it understand a rare condition that makes people different, all these social aspects, but it also has scientific implications in the basic developmental biology of a man or a woman. Always in biology you want to look at the exception to understand the general. Thus, understanding intersex people forces us to understand how typical males and typical females develop.

So what has your research overall been able to say about the development of sex? We have identified new molecular mechanisms of sex determination. In reality it is probably more complicated. What we have shown is that making a man, yes, activates some male genes, but also inhibits some anti-male genes. It's a much more complex network, a delicate dance between pro-male and anti-small molecules. And these anti-male molecules may be pro-women, although that's harder to prove.

Pseudobisexuality in women

Pure gonadal agenesis syndrome

You seem to be describing a shift from the prevailing view that female development is the default molecular pathway for active pro-male and anti-male pathways. Are there also pro-female and anti-antigenic pathways? The presence of a testicle defines masculinity, and the absence of a testicle defines femininity. The ovary is not sex determining. It will not affect the development of the external genitalia.

So if you combine these two paradigms, you have a molecular basis that is likely to be a factor, a genome, which is a determining factor for determining the testis, and it is a gene determining a gene, so the field based on that is really focused on identifying factors , determining factors. However, we found that these are not simply factors that determine the pro-test.

if there is a tumor in the mother’s body that produces or stimulates the production of androgens (male sex hormones);
the second reason is the woman’s regular use of medications that increase the level of androgen production;
the third is congenital dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, which is responsible for the stable production of progesterone and other hormones.

False bisexuality in men

Male pseudohermaphroditism is a pathology in which a man has male gonads and female external genitalia. There are two forms of this pathology:

hypospadias, which is characterized by abnormal development of the urethra;
cryptorchidism, when abnormal development is characteristic of the male gonads (testicles).

the vagina is completely absent;
despite the presence of female genital organs, there is no menstruation, since there is no uterus;
the mammary glands are quite enlarged (developed according to the female type);
Secondary hair growth is insignificant or completely absent.

Types of false hermaphroditism

There are three types of false hermaphroditism in men:

feminizing, in which the patient has a female body type;
virile – typically masculine physique;
eunuchoid - the mammary glands are undeveloped, but there is no secondary hair growth and the timbre of the voice is greatly changed.

There are no similar entries.

Hermaphrodites are individuals who have the sexual characteristics of both men and women. In relation to such people, they also use the following definition: “androgynic,” which comes from the Greek words “aner” - man and “gyne” - woman.

Every human embryo transforms into a male or female fetus. During its development in the womb, the human embryo, which has a natural tendency to take on female flesh, is subject to changes based on the chromosomes that determine the sex of the future newborn.

Various reasons, including hormonal and genetic disorders, can affect the process of fetal development. Let's consider only two main types of bisexual creatures: true hermaphrodites and pseudohermaphrodites.

In the world of vegetation, an individual often possesses both female and male reproductive organs. The same can be said about some lower vertebrates, such as bivalves, gastropods, earthworms and leeches. But this does not occur either in higher animals or in humans.

Sometimes it can happen that a person is born with a penis and vagina, and even with ovaries and a testicle. But these individuals are not capable of reproduction and always one, or even both, genital organs are inactive.

So far, only one extreme case is known in which a human being is capable of normal sexual relations with both a man and a woman.

This individual had a penis 14 cm long and a vagina 8.5 cm long. The New York Journal of Medicine wrote that he/she had both ovaries and testicles, experienced menstruation and ejaculated sperm.

This amazing phenomenon was discovered when the police arrested a twenty-eight year old woman for prostitution. Some time later, the same person was arrested again, this time for rape!

PSEUDOGERMAPHRODITISM

Hermaphrodites are often people whose genitalia are formed in such a way that they resemble the genitals of the opposite sex. In such cases, we are dealing with pseudohermaphroditism, which affects both men and women. The structure of their internal genital organs is normal, but the external ones give the impression of organs of the opposite sex.

In women, the clitoris develops to such a huge size that it can be mistaken for a penis. In men, the testicles and scrotum change and are retracted in such a way that two folds of skin adjacent to each other remain, resembling the labia. Some male pseudohermaphrodites retain certain masculine characteristics, such as facial hair and a flat chest, while others have a feminine figure. Through a simple operation one can completely get rid of femininity, but such a person will never be able to have a child.

Female pseudohermaphrodites are born much less frequently. From a genetic point of view, their internal structure is the same as that of all women. The individual possesses, for example, ovaries, oviducts, and a uterus, but the external genitalia develop into a penis.

At the moment of birth, not all sexual characteristics that distinguish a man from a woman are formed. Newborns have neither breasts nor body hair, and the torso and pelvis of a male and female child are built identically.

It is very easy to make a mistake, since the only key feature by which we distinguish a boy from a girl is the appearance of the external genitalia. And then children are raised as representatives of the opposite sex, which is the cause of many abnormal phenomena, both sexual and psychological.

There are cases where external female signs in a man were only the result of accidental atrophy of the testicles.

Among the ancient Scythians there were many men with female figures. Herodotus and Hippocrates attributed this anomaly to excessive horse riding during puberty.

At the beginning of this century, the American professor Hammond, who studied Indians from the Pueblo tribe in New Mexico, described the men of this tribe who possessed all tertiary female sexual characteristics.

Anthropologist Henry Meij, who also studied the Pueblo Indians, said that they had well-shaped breasts, small genitals, high-pitched voices and very modest body hair. In his opinion, such anomalies are artificial and arose during puberty “due to excessive masturbation and horse riding.

HERMAPHRODITES IN MYTHOLOGY AND HISTORY

In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes and Aphrodite. Legend tells that at the age of fifteen he was traveling through Halicarnassus and at the end of his journey he stopped at a lake, wanting to swim. The nymph Salmakis, seeing him naked, fell madly in love with him. However, unable to charm him, she turned to the bots with prayers to unite their bodies forever.

The prayer was heard and a bisexual creature appeared in the world. Since then, the lake has gained fame: every couple who swam in it experienced a similar transformation.

There were many bisexual creatures in Greek mythology. Aesop explained the appearance of such creatures this way: “One night, after staying with Bacchus, drunken Prometheus began modeling human bodies out of clay, but made several mistakes...”

Thus, androgynics appeared in the world. Plato suspected that for the foreseeable past the human race was composed exclusively of hermaphrodites, each with two bodies, one male, the other female, and two faces on one head.

These self-righteous creatures quarreled with the gods and Zeus divided them into two sexes as punishment. Plato explained that the sexual attraction of opposite sexes is based on the desire to reunite the separated halves.

Some medieval Christian theologians believed that Adam was bisexual. Saint Martin of Amboise wrote:

"Before the Fall, when man was in a state of innocence, he was self-satisfied like his Creator. He could reproduce and procreate while contemplating his divine body, since he was a spiritual hermaphrodite."

However, original sin caused man to be divided into two halves, which differ not only in appearance, but also in spiritual preferences. Moreover, intelligence and devotion to God are mainly masculine characteristics, while love, admiration, and idolization are feminine. The weaknesses and imperfections of each sex can only be corrected through marriage, the sole and fundamental purpose of which is the re-deification of human nature through reunification into one.

Many of those who adhered to the theory according to which, together with the end of the world, both halves, both flesh, both sexes would unite in one body, were burned at the stake in the Middle Ages, since a different point of view then prevailed. And even today Catholic law commands that "the hermaphrodite must decide which flesh predominates in his body and preserve himself according to such declaration."

Fate is cruel for hermaphrodites. Despite their supposedly divine origin, their life was much worse than that of other representatives of the human race. Among many ancient peoples there was a custom of killing children of unspecified flesh immediately after birth. In this way the Greeks sought to preserve the perfection of their own race.

For the Romans, such unfortunate people were an evil sign, an unkind omen, and the Egyptians, although they honored such gods as Bes or Ptah, recognized bisexuals as an insult to Nature. At the beginning of our era, the Romans stopped persecuting hermaphrodites, although Titus Livius said that throughout his life he saw many such creatures, but they were all thrown into the river. Some ancients recognized hermaphrodites as the quintessence of perfection and many are immortalized in classical works of art.

In the Middle Ages, human characteristics and deviations were subjected to extermination, and bisexual people were persecuted with particular cruelty. According to church teaching, they were in league with the devil and many died during the Inquisition.

The fate of Antide Collas, for example, was typical of that time. Declared a hermaphrodite in 1559 and deprived of her liberty by law, she was examined by several doctors who recognized that her abnormal condition was the result of a relationship with Satan. For her connection with the devil, the unfortunate woman was burned at the stake in the main market of the city.

However, not all hermaphrodites were killed. One could once use a special right and declare one’s choice in favor of one flesh or another, but without the possibility of changing the decision in the future.

How difficult it was to apply such a right in practice is well illustrated by the example of Margaret Malor.

Being an orphan, until the age of twenty-one Margaret was convinced that all women were like her and only when she fell ill in 1686, a doctor from Toulouse made the following diagnosis: “An extremely unusual hermaphrodite, more reminiscent of a man than a woman.”

The office of the bishop in Toulouse, on pain of death, ordered Margaret to wear men's clothing. The girl, amazed by this discovery, fled from Toulouse to Bordeaux, where she went to work as a maid for a rich family. But in 1691, a Toulouse who came to Bordeaux recognized her and she became a prisoner. On June 21 of the same year, the municipal court of Bordeaux decided that she should change her name to the masculine Arno and forbade her to wear women's clothing under pain of flogging.

Having a feminine figure, face, habits and inclinations, Margaret was forced to look for a man's job. “Arno” did not have the physical strength inherent in men and therefore had to feed himself from alms, by begging. Having somehow managed to get to Paris, “Arno” found a famous doctor, surgeon Savyard, who eventually made the only correct diagnosis and issued a certificate indicating that the bearer of this, in his physical and mental state, is much closer to a woman than to a man. But the doctors and judges did not want to admit their mistakes and their verdict remained in force until the lawyer, sympathizing with Margaret’s torment, convinced the king to intervene in her fate.

The extent to which pseudohermaphrodites were persecuted often depended on the overall status of the family to which he/she belonged. An example of this was Charles de Beaumont, Chevalier d'Eon, better known as Genevieve de Beaumont, Mademoiselle d'Eon.

Charles-Genevieve-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d'Éon de Beaumont was a pseudohermaphrodite who had a huge influence on the politics of 18th-century France.

It should be emphasized that he was more a man than a woman, he lived to be 82 years old, and his true gender remained a mystery all his life. He played the role of a man and a woman with equal success. Husbands sent their wives to him, and fathers sent their daughters, but all their efforts were in vain, because no one was able to observe even a slight interest

As captain of the dragoons, he showed extraordinary courage at times and, although his friends in arms recognized him as a man, he often discouraged them with his extreme impressionability. Among those who considered Charles a woman was a grenadier captain named Pommereau, who wanted to marry him, as well as the great Beaumarchais himself.

The whole life of the Cavalier d'Eon was extraordinary. Until the age of three he was raised as a girl, but when it was time to study, he entered a military school. As an adult he had a girlish figure, pleasant features and a feminine voice, which did not prevent him from gaining fame as the best swordsman and archer in Europe. Soon the king called Charles to court, because he believed that d'Eon could be used as a secret agent.

Charles was sent to Russia to spy on Queen Elizabeth II. At that time, he was introduced as one of her ladies-in-waiting, named Lia de Beaumont. One of his most successful endeavors was organizing the Treaty of Paris. He managed to reach an understanding so useful for France that the English statesman John Wilkes remarked: “This agreement should be called God's Peace, since it does not fit within the boundaries of understanding.”

In 1745, d'Eon got involved in intrigues with the Scots, who were at war with England, and persuaded them to pursue policies useful for France. His role was so great that Beaumarchais once exclaimed: "d"Eon is the new Jeanne d “Ark!”, to which Voltaire replied: “Neither a man nor a woman - and it is precisely such a being that de Beaumont is recognized for - should be tested so hard by fate.”

Later, for unknown reasons, Charles was banished to London, where he lived as a woman. He was then allowed to return on the condition that he go to a monastery. d'Eon returned to Paris, where, after an examination, the royal doctor declared him a woman. De Beaumont took the vow of a nun.

During the French Revolution, Charles offered his services to the new French government, but they were not used. They say that he ended his life in England as a woman, but she earned her living by teaching fencing.

The 19th century saw a breakthrough in an attempt to use scientific principles to understand the amazing phenomenon of hermaphroditism. Diagnosing hermaphroditism is not easy. The difficulty in this can be illustrated by the example of an American woman named Marie Dorothy, who belonged to a very wealthy family, who was dressed and raised as a woman, but was a hermaphrodite. In 1823 it turned out that she was the only heir to a huge fortune. However, the will for inheritance stated that only a man could be the heir.

Marie was examined by several of the most famous doctors of the time. Two of them recognized her as a woman, three others as a man, and the sixth admitted under oath that this creature was both a man and a woman. The case went to court and the judge announced a truly Solomonic decision: the male half of Marie Dorothy receives half of the fortune.

Another famous figure was Joseph Maso, born in 1830. The parents named the newborn Marie and raised him as a girl until he was twelve years old, then doctors stated that he was a boy. Then the name was changed to Joseph. According to doctors, Joseph's testicles remained in the abdominal cavity. An extremely enlarged clitoris was mistakenly mistaken for a penis.

After Maso's death in 1864, pathologists declared that despite his masculine head and body, he was essentially a woman with a vagina, uterus, and ovaries. Marie/Joseph had countless relationships with women, smoked, drank, and was interested in politics.

During the 19th century, hermaphrodites became extremely popular as monstrosity attractions. Circus directors claimed that with a good "fifty-fifty" - another name for androgynists - the success of the show was guaranteed. However, public display of intimate parts of the body, even as a subject of scientific interest, was unconditionally prohibited.

In order to somehow satisfy the interests of the public, they came up with a variety of tricks. According to a belief as old as time, the right side of the body is masculine and strong in nature, while the left side is delicate and more feminine. And hermaphrodites allowed hair to grow on the right side of the body, while the left side was carefully shaved.

Short, straight hair on the right side of the head contrasted with free-growing long or carefully combed locks on the left side.

With the help of special exercises, the right biceps was enlarged. The left side of the face was decorated with makeup, and the left palm and wrist were decorated with a huge amount of jewelry. To achieve full effect, silicone was often injected into the left breast.

Some of the hermaphrodites were hugely successful, such as Diana/Edgar, Bobby Cork and Donald/Diana, who performed publicly as early as 1950.

HERMAPHRODITES AND LOVE

Some "fifty-fifty" aroused real passion. Joseph Nilton was such an attractive hermaphrodite that one American soldier left his wife and children for him.

Another, François/Françoise Murphy, was raped by a sailor on the New York subway. Evelyn S. changed gender at the age of 40 and married her own children's governess. George W. Jorgensen changed gender in 1952 at the age of 26. The doctor who performed the operation was forced to repeat it six more times, then he prescribed two thousand hormonal injections to the patient. After this, George changed his name to Christina and became a cabaret dancer. One pilot sergeant who had an affair with her claimed that Christina had the most beautiful female body he had ever seen.

HERMAPHRODITES AND SPORTS

In 1966, during European athletics competitions, the topic of the real gender of some female competitors was discussed, which forced the European Athletic Federation to subject the athletes to tests. Many wished to stop participating in the tournament so as not to undergo a humiliating procedure. The rest readily agreed, believing that hermaphroditism would only give them popularity.

This happened, for example, with Bill Raskam, a famous ophthalmologist recognized as one of the promising American tennis players. In 1975, at the age of forty-two, Bill Ruskam came out as a woman and took the name Renee Richards. That same year, he decided to compete in the United States Women's Championship. Refusing to submit to tests to determine the real gender of the participants, Renee brought the case to court. It should be recalled that the examination is not limited only to a physical examination, but is based solely on the analysis of chromosomal cells of the oral mucosa.

Rene's dimensions were quite impressive: 185 centimeters in height and 80 kilograms in weight. An excellent opponent for both male and female players, she literally amazed athletes with the power of her backhand.
Caster Semenya, South African hermaphrodite runner

The American Tennis Federation considered this technique to be the most convincing argument in favor of Renee's male gender and banned her from competing in international competitions. However, Renee played as a woman in the Australian Open.

Now there are several more individuals whose sex is difficult to determine. However, advances in surgery and psychiatry make it possible for such men or women to make an unambiguous decision to change sex. Men become good housewives, and women become priests, soldiers or athletes.

South African runner Caster Semenya has become the most famous hermaphrodite in sports in recent years. At first, after a series of tests, she was classified as a woman. No one attached any importance to this then. The flame was rekindled a few months later when Semenya won the 800m gold medal at the World Championships in Berlin on 19 August 2009. It was then that many journalists drew attention, in particular, to the obvious absence of feminine features in the figure and appearance of the athlete.

After this, Semenya underwent a series of tests, which showed that the athlete’s level of the male hormone testosterone was off the charts. However, later, as a result of gender tests, it was proven that Semenya is a woman.