The Intersex symbol





Intersex! It's the third letter in QUILTBAG, and is the most physical out of all of them, intersex is a term used for a variety of different conditions which affects the body physically. These can range from chromosomal abnormalities in some or all of the persons cells to someone's inability to respond to Androgen.



In this weeks article I will be explaining some of the former; Chromosomal Abnormalities. I will cover Klinefelter's Syndrome and Turner's Syndrome.





Klinefelter's Syndrome



The condition was first discovered in 1942 by Dr Harry Klinefelter, who was the first person to describe it. The symptoms of this condition are highly variable (an XXY male may experience none of these symptoms whereas another may experience all of them). Klinefelter's Syndrome is a genetic condition which affects between 1 in 500 and 1 in 1000 births. It is characterised by the addition of an extra X chromosome in the male's karyotype (meaning they are XXY, rather than XY)The condition was first discovered in 1942 by Dr Harry Klinefelter, who was the first person to describe it. The symptoms of this condition are highly variable (an XXY male may experience none of these symptoms whereas another may experience all of them).





Children who are affected by Klinefelter's Syndrome may have weaker muscles and reduced strength and may have reduced muscle coordination when compared to other children. During puberty however it may become much more obvious due to the reduced amounts of Testosterone being produced, so because of this they often have less muscular bodies than other teenage males as well as less facial or body hair, wider hips and may have weaker bones, a lower energy level and may experience gynecomastia (growth of breast tissue). As they age they begin to look more like males who are not affected by Klinefelter's Syndrome, although they are generally taller. They may also experience the variable symptoms such as gynecomastia or a youthful appearance.





Unfortunately people who have Klinefelter's Syndrome are usually infertile or may suffer from reduced fertility.





How does this come about?