Evaluation of atypical gender development
Studies that support the biological explanation for atypical gender development:
- Gender dysphoria is associated with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and intersex conditions
- Post-mortem examinations of transgender females receiving oestrogen have shown the BSTc to be a
similar size to cisgender females
Guevedoces in the Dominican Republic: Guevedoces in the Dominican Republic ‘grow a penis’ at the
age of 12 and people with this condition often experience gender dysphoria. They are deficient in an
enzyme that converts testosterone into a substance that triggers the development of the penis.
Therefore they only develop a penis at the onset of puberty. Shows the hormones in your womb
influence your gender more than nurture.
- Zhou (1995): Studied the nucleus of BSTc and found it is 40% larger in males
- Kruijiver et al (2000): Found there was a similar number of neurons in BSTc of transgender women as
those found in cisgender women.
- Coolidge (2002): Assessed 157 twin pairs (96 MZ and 61 DZ) and found that prevalence was 2.3% with
62% accounted for by genetic variance. Suggests there is a heritable component.
Heylens et al (2012): Compared 23 MZ twins with 21 DZ twins where one of each pair was diagnosed
with GID. Found 39% concordance rate for MZ twins compared to 0% for DZ.
S Studies that contradict the biological explanation for atypical gender development:
- Chung (2002): Claims that pre-natal hormonal influences (that affect the size of the BSTc) are not
triggered until adulthood. Means that dimorphic brain differences are not present in childhood,
contradicting the theory, as it states that dimorphic brain differences are present in childhood. Shows
that there may be an environmental factor influencing the difference in brain areas as adults take on
heavy cognitive workloads after adulthood, changing the structure of the brain.
- Dessens: Studied 250 females with CAH who were raised as females. He found that 95% identified as
females. Shows that hormones don’t influence gender (Counterargument = Dexamethasone is given to
mother before baby is born and person with CAH is given medication to increase cortisol levels).
Ovesey and Person (1973): Argued that GID in males is caused by the child experiencing extreme
separation anxiety before gender identity established. This happens through the male child fantasizing a
symbolic fusion with his mother to relieve the anxiety and the danger of separation is removed. This
means that the child ‘becomes the mother’ and so adopts a female gender identity.
Stoller (1973): Found that GID males have overly close relationships with their mother and so have a
stronger sense of identification with their mother during the phallic stage, as a result taking on a female
gender identity.
Can be used to help diagnose gender dysphoria: Brain imaging scans can be given to those wanting a
diagnosis to help diagnose those with gender dysphoria if it is found that the size of their BSTc and other
brain structures, matches that of the opposite gender.
P
Gender bias: No explanation for gender dysphoria in females.
I
Studies that support the biological explanation for atypical gender development:
- Gender dysphoria is associated with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and intersex conditions
- Post-mortem examinations of transgender females receiving oestrogen have shown the BSTc to be a
similar size to cisgender females
Guevedoces in the Dominican Republic: Guevedoces in the Dominican Republic ‘grow a penis’ at the
age of 12 and people with this condition often experience gender dysphoria. They are deficient in an
enzyme that converts testosterone into a substance that triggers the development of the penis.
Therefore they only develop a penis at the onset of puberty. Shows the hormones in your womb
influence your gender more than nurture.
- Zhou (1995): Studied the nucleus of BSTc and found it is 40% larger in males
- Kruijiver et al (2000): Found there was a similar number of neurons in BSTc of transgender women as
those found in cisgender women.
- Coolidge (2002): Assessed 157 twin pairs (96 MZ and 61 DZ) and found that prevalence was 2.3% with
62% accounted for by genetic variance. Suggests there is a heritable component.
Heylens et al (2012): Compared 23 MZ twins with 21 DZ twins where one of each pair was diagnosed
with GID. Found 39% concordance rate for MZ twins compared to 0% for DZ.
S Studies that contradict the biological explanation for atypical gender development:
- Chung (2002): Claims that pre-natal hormonal influences (that affect the size of the BSTc) are not
triggered until adulthood. Means that dimorphic brain differences are not present in childhood,
contradicting the theory, as it states that dimorphic brain differences are present in childhood. Shows
that there may be an environmental factor influencing the difference in brain areas as adults take on
heavy cognitive workloads after adulthood, changing the structure of the brain.
- Dessens: Studied 250 females with CAH who were raised as females. He found that 95% identified as
females. Shows that hormones don’t influence gender (Counterargument = Dexamethasone is given to
mother before baby is born and person with CAH is given medication to increase cortisol levels).
Ovesey and Person (1973): Argued that GID in males is caused by the child experiencing extreme
separation anxiety before gender identity established. This happens through the male child fantasizing a
symbolic fusion with his mother to relieve the anxiety and the danger of separation is removed. This
means that the child ‘becomes the mother’ and so adopts a female gender identity.
Stoller (1973): Found that GID males have overly close relationships with their mother and so have a
stronger sense of identification with their mother during the phallic stage, as a result taking on a female
gender identity.
Can be used to help diagnose gender dysphoria: Brain imaging scans can be given to those wanting a
diagnosis to help diagnose those with gender dysphoria if it is found that the size of their BSTc and other
brain structures, matches that of the opposite gender.
P
Gender bias: No explanation for gender dysphoria in females.
I
