The Diversity of Sex Development: What Conditions Affecting Sex Development Teach Us About Sexual Diversity

The document by Dr. Angela Lucas-Herald and Professor Syed Faisal Ahmed discusses the biological complexities of sex development, emphasizing that conditions affecting this development should be seen as part of natural human variation, not disorders. They argue for a more inclusive understanding of sexual diversity. The paper notes that 1 in 50 newborns are born with a congenital anomaly, with atypical genitalia affecting about 21 in 10,000 cases, mostly boys. Sex development in mammals occurs in two stages: gonadal development and genitalia development, influenced by the presence or absence of a Y chromosome and other factors. Disruptions can lead to gonadal degeneration or limited hormone or egg production. Hormones like testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) by the testes result in the development of male-typical internal and external genitalia, with deficiencies or excesses leading to atypical genitalia. The document concludes that while biological development usually follows typical pathways, there is significant sexual diversity in reality.