Symptoms of hermaphroditism. A true hermaphrodite. Above is a diagram of the structure of the dual reproductive system of a hermaphrodite; below - the similarity of the reproductive systems of men and women

Physiological characteristics of hermaphrodites.

It's not often we hear about hermaphrodites. Moreover, most of us imagine such individuals as quite strange with genitals like those of women and men. In reality, everything is different and more complicated. In this article we will try to figure out who hermaphrodites are.

Outwardly, these are the most ordinary people who get along well in society. The most interesting thing is that hermaphroditism can be impossible to determine before puberty. Many people think that hermaphrodites have male and female genitals, but this is not entirely true. Many hermaphrodites initially have female or male genitals, and only during puberty do abnormalities become apparent. A boy may grow breasts, but a girl will have no mammary glands and will not have periods.

Hermaphroditism is a genetic disease that develops when the fetus is in the womb and there are faults in the DNA. At the same time, the father and mother are completely healthy and have no genetic abnormalities. It is not fully understood why hermaphrodites are born.

The main reason is a genetic disorder that doctors and scientists cannot explain. At the same time, outwardly it can be a woman or a man, but inside everything is different.

Types of hermaphroditism:

True. With this type, a person has both genital organs. That is, the ovaries and testicles are inside, and the vagina and penis are outside.
False. It, in turn, is divided into female and male types. With the male type, a person develops a penis that is small in size. When it is female, the breasts do not grow, the voice is rough.

The genitals look different depending on the type of hermaphroditism.

Key Features:

In men, the penis is underdeveloped, curved, and small in size. The scrotum is dense and resembles the female labia. The testicles are often not descended into the sacs.
In women, the clitoris is large and may look like a small penis. The labia resemble the scrotum; they are large and irregularly shaped.

Hermaphrodites go to the toilet in a normal way. It all depends on the type of hermaphroditism. Urination occurs like everyone else, through the urethra. It can be located in the penis or perineum.

There is a very beautiful legend according to which the son of Hermes and Aphrodite fell in love with a nymph. This woman lived in the water and also fell in love with the young man. Then the son of the gods came to his father and mother and asked them to join together. Since then, hermaphrodites have appeared. Although from a medical point of view the legend has nothing to do with it.

Does a hermaphrodite person have periods?

It all depends on the type of hermaphroditism. If this is a false type, then only sex hormones, female or male, are released. But due to the peculiarities of the internal structure, girls may not have periods. They can begin much later than is customary among healthy girls. Due to the presence of sexual characteristics of two sexes, the ovaries in girls are underdeveloped and may secrete insufficient amounts of hormones. Because of this, you may not have your period. Although there are cases when hermaphrodites have menstruation and reproductive function is preserved.

In most cases, hermaphrodites are infertile. This is possible due to underdevelopment of the testicles or ovaries. But there are cases of successful conception and birth of a child in hermaphrodites.

Can a hermaphrodite get pregnant on her own?

No, this is impossible. In fact, self-sex is not possible among hermaphrodites. In this case, due to the underdevelopment of the reproductive system, useless sperm is produced or the ovaries do not produce an egg.

No, It is Immpossible. Since a woman will look like a woman with false hermaphroditism. She doesn't have a penis. The genitals are strangely shaped and look strange too. In this case, sexual function may not be impaired. Such a woman can become pregnant from a man with normal hormonal levels. Another woman will not be able to have sexual intercourse with such a hermaphrodite due to the absence of a penis.

How do hermaphrodite people reproduce?

Hermaphrodites reproduce like all ordinary people. This is only possible with false hermaphroditism. With the true type, it will not be possible to become pregnant, conceive or give birth to a child. If there are sexual characteristics of both sexes, a man may not have impaired male function. Sex hormones can be produced in normal quantities. Therefore, it is practically possible to become pregnant from a false hermaphrodite.

It's not the same thing. Transvestites are ordinary people without genetic disorders. They just look different than they feel. Therefore, they resort to gender reassignment. Hermaphrodites are a kind of mutants that have characteristics of both men and women.

Hermaphrodites - famous people: photos

There are a sufficient number of famous people in history who are hermaphrodites. The saddest thing is that during the Inquisition such individuals were burned and tortured. That is why many were forced to hide their identity as hermaphrodites.

Famous hermaphrodites in history:

Margaret Malor. A woman under 21 considered herself to be the most ordinary. It was not until 1686 that the doctor who examined her for her illness discovered the abnormalities. The certificate stated that Magraret is more likely to be a man than a woman. That is why she was forbidden to call herself a woman’s name and do women’s work. Outwardly, Margaret looked like a woman, with a fragile build and rounded shape. Due to her physical characteristics, she could not do heavy male work, so she was forced to beg. Only thanks to another doctor, who issued a certificate stating that Margaret was more likely to be a woman, gave her the right to be considered as such again.
Genevieve de Beaumont. He was more of a man than a woman. He successfully played the role of both men and women. He was a courtier and often spied on kings.
Joseph Mazo. Until the age of 12, he was raised as a girl, but then doctors stated that he was more likely a boy. Gender characteristics were more similar to those of women; parents mistook a small penis for an enlarged clitoris. After an autopsy, it was revealed that Joseph had a uterus and ovaries and was more likely to be a woman than a man.

Some of the hermaphrodites have had enormous success in deformity attractions, such as Diana/Edgar, Bobby Cork and Donald/Diana, who performed publicly as early as 1950.

Genevieve de Beaumont

Hermaphrodite athletes: photos

A sufficient number of hermaphrodites are also known among athletes. History speaks about this. In 1966, sex control was introduced at the Olympic Games, which required all participants to be checked for belonging to a certain gender. After all, there are known cases of hermaphroditism in women's sports. Moreover, a hermaphrodite is physically stronger than any woman.

Famous hermaphrodite athletes:

Dora Rathjen - high jumper
Zdenka Koubova - athlete
Helen Stephens - athlete
Stanislava Valasevich - athlete
Rene Richards - tennis player
Maria Patino - athlete

Dora Rathjen

Zdenka Koubova

Renee Richards

The saddest thing is that many female athletes turn into men due to constant use of steroids and hormones. Their voices become rough and their hair grows.

As you can see, there are a large number of hermaphrodites among athletes, according to some estimates, one in 500 athletes. The presence of male hormones helps to win the Olympics.

VIDEO: Who are hermaphrodites?

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 genital organs in a man 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 known as 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 detected 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. Is it 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 outwardly 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.

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.

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.

REAL HERMAPHRODITISM

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 genitals are formed so 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 testicular atrophy. 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, a drunken Prometheus began modeling human bodies in 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 was the reason that man found himself 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."

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.

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.

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

Being an orphan, until she was twenty-one, Margaret was convinced that all women were like her and it was only when she fell ill in 1686 that a doctor from Toulouse made the following diagnosis:

"An extremely unusual hermaphrodite, more male than female."

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 on 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 undertakings was the organization of 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.

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 her gender at the age of 40 and married her own children's governess.

George W. Jorgensen changed his 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.

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.

– a congenital disorder of sexual differentiation, characterized by the presence in an individual of two types of gonads (ovary and testis) or gonads of a mixed structure (ovotestis). Clinical manifestations of true hermaphroditism can be different and depend on the predominance of the functional activity of the male or female gonad. Patients with true hermaphroditism may experience a disturbance in the structure of the external genitalia (small penis, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, clitoral hypertrophy), gynecomastia, bisexual body type; menstruation, ovulation and spermatogenesis are possible. The diagnosis of true hermaphroditism is established on the basis of examination of the genital organs, ultrasound of the gonads, examination of the level of sex hormones, determination of the karyotype and biopsy of the gonads. Therapeutic tactics are determined by the psychosexual orientation of patients and consist of removing the gonads of the opposite sex and conducting hormonal therapy.

General information

True hermaphroditism (intersexism, bisexual gonad syndrome) is a genetically determined disorder of sexual development, in which the gonads are represented by functioning elements of the ovaries and testicles. With true hermaphroditism, the ovaries and testes can be located separately or be combined into a mixed sex gland - ovotestis. True hermaphroditism is an extremely rare phenomenon; In total, about 200 similar cases are described in the world medical literature. Much more common in gynecology and andrology is false hermaphroditism (male and female pseudohermaphroditism), characterized by the presence in an individual of the external genitalia of one sex and the gonads of the opposite sex.

Classification of true hermaphroditism

Among the cases of true hermaphroditism, there are variants when an individual has an ovary on one side and a testicle on the other; ovotestis is determined on both sides - a mixed gland with testicular and ovarian tissue; unilateral ovotestis occurs with the testicle or ovary on the other side. Sometimes, if ovotestis is present on one side, gonadal tissue is absent on the opposite side.

True hermaphroditism can be combined with abnormalities of the external genitalia or occur with normally formed external genitalia. Possible morphological forms of true hermaphroditism without anomalies of the external genitalia include:

hermaphroditism with predominance of male secondary sexual characteristics
hermaphroditism with predominance of female secondary sexual characteristics
hermaphroditism with equally pronounced secondary sexual characteristics of both sexes
hermaphroditism with the genitals of one sex and the gonad of the opposite sex, promoting manifestations of transsexualism.

True hermaphroditism with anomalies of the external genitalia occurs in the following variants:

hermaphroditism with a full set of genitalia of one sex and the presence of one or more organs of the other sex
hermaphroditism with an incomplete set of genitalia of both sexes
hermaphroditism with a full set of male and female genitalia.

Causes of true hermaphroditism

The factors contributing to the occurrence of true hermaphroditism are not fully understood. Identification of family cases of the disorder indicates a possible hereditary cause of true hermaphroditism.

In approximately 60% of cases of true hermaphroditism in patients, the female karyotype 46.XX is determined, in 10% of cases the male karyotype 46.XY is determined, in the rest there are various types of chromosomal mosaicism (46XX/46XY, 46XX/47XXY, etc.). It is assumed that cases of true hermaphroditism may be associated with translocation, nondisjunction or mutation of chromosomes, as well as chimerism - double fertilization of the same egg, leading to the formation of bisexual gonads. The influence of extragonadal damaging factors that cause simultaneous differentiation of ovarian and testicular elements cannot be ruled out.

Symptoms of true hermaphroditism

Clinical manifestations of true hermaphroditism are extremely diverse and can be detected in various variants and combinations. At birth, 90% of children with true hermaphroditism have external genitalia of an intersex (mixed) structure, and only 10% have definitely male or female characteristics. Among the anomalies of the external genitalia in individuals with a male phenotype with true hermaphroditism, a small penis, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias are usually found; in individuals with a female phenotype - clitoral hypertrophy, urogenital sinus.

The testicle can be located in the scrotum, labioscrotal fold, inguinal canal, abdominal cavity; The seminiferous tubules are atrophied in most cases; in rare cases, there is preserved spermatogenesis. In the absence of gonads, the labioscrotal folds resemble the labia majora. Anomalies in the development of other organs are usually not characteristic of true hermaphroditism; sometimes the pathology is combined with an inguinal hernia.

On the side of the testicle, the epididymis and vas deferens are usually formed; on the opposite side, a unicornuate uterus and fallopian tube develop. The vagina may be well developed and open into the perineum, along the midline of the scrotum, or into the posterior urethra. As a rule, the ovaries are positioned correctly; ovulation occurs in 25% of patients with true hermaphroditism.

During puberty, signs of virilization or feminization may be observed; secondary sexual characteristics of both sexes are often present (bisexual body type, gynecomastia, low timbre of voice, male-pattern hair growth). Half of patients experience menstruation; in the male phenotype, monthly bleeding is manifested by cyclic hematuria. Patients with true hermaphroditism may have problems with gender identity and social adaptation; tendency towards bisexuality, homosexuality, transsexuality, transvestism.

Diagnosis of true hermaphroditism

In order to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of true hermaphroditism, patients should be consulted by an endocrinologist, urologist, gynecologist, or geneticist. During a physical examination, the development of the external genitalia and the severity of secondary sexual characteristics are assessed. Palpation of the scrotum area, vaginal or rectal examination, ultrasound of the pelvic organs and adrenal glands are performed.

True hermaphroditism must be differentiated from false hermaphroditism, gonadal dysgenesis (Klinefelter syndrome). For this purpose, determination of sex chromatin, karyotyping, study of hormone levels (testosterone, estrogens, FSH, 17-ketosteroids in daily urine), other tests and samples are carried out. A definitive diagnosis of true hermaphroditism can only be made after exploratory laparotomy, gonadal biopsy and histological confirmation of the presence of both ovarian and testicular tissue.

Treatment of true hermaphroditism

The issue of assigning a passport gender and the nature of gender education of persons with true hermaphroditism is complex; requires taking into account the karyotype, hormonal status, psychosexual orientation of the patient’s personality and is resolved with the involvement of medical specialists. In most cases, newborns with true hermaphroditism are classified as female and raised as girls, since the activity of the ovarian part of the gonad usually prevails over the testicular part.

Subsequently, taking into account the anatomical, psychological and functional aspects, surgical correction of true hermaphroditism is carried out, including gonadectomy and plastic surgery on the external genitalia. In persons with a passport female gender, all testicular tissue is removed or ovotestis, resection of the clitoris, and vaginal plastic surgery. The problem of excess hair growth is solved using hair removal methods. Subsequently, throughout the entire reproductive age, cyclic administration of estrogen-gestagen drugs is prescribed. When choosing a male passport gender, patients with true hermaphroditism undergo complete removal of ovarian tissue and female genital organs, correction of gynecomastia, formation of the scrotum, and plastic surgery of the penis. From puberty, androgen replacement (maintenance, stimulating) therapy is carried out.

Prognosis of true hermaphroditism

Normal psychosexual development and adaptation of patients with true hermaphroditism in society depends on the correct choice of sex, the correspondence of the phenotype of the chosen gender and self-identification. Typically, patients with true hermaphroditism are infertile, but isolated cases have been described in which individuals with a female and male phenotype, after removal of the ovotestis or gonads of the opposite sex, were able to acquire offspring.

Patients with true hermaphroditism, even after gonadectomy, should remain under close supervision of an endocrinologist to monitor the correctness of hormone therapy. In some cases, such patients need help

Salmacis and Hermaphroditus, 1582 (Bartholomeus Spranger)

The son of the gods Hermes and Aphrodite, as evidenced by his name, he was suckled by naiads in the Idean caves. During the wanderings of Hermaphroditus in his native Caria at the age of 15, a nymph saw him Salmacis was inflamed with love for him. When Hermaphroditus bathed in the spring in which Salmacis lived, she clung to him and asked the gods to unite them forever. He fell in love with her. The gods fulfilled her wish, and they merged into one being. According to legend, everyone who drank from this source suffered the fate of Hermaphrodite - if not literally, then at least in the sense that he became painfully feminine.

Salmacis Salmatia - a nymph who lived at a source where Hermaphroditus once stopped to rest. Beloved Hermaphrodite, in a lake in Caria, merged with him into one being.

The myth about her was expounded by Ovid in Metamorphoses. The girl had a charming appearance, combined with ineradicable laziness. Other nymphs, armed with spears and bows, amused themselves with hunting; Salmacis valued “indestructible peace” above all else. Bathing in a spring, combing her luxurious hair, covering her head with flowers, admiring herself in the mirror of the waters - she did not want any other activities. “Why are you ruining your youth in idleness?” - her friends vying with each other reproached her. But they were not successful.

According to later tradition, the spring at Halicarnassus, where this occurred, contributed to the effeminacy of those who drink from it.

Hermaphrodite, mosaic (North Africa, Roman period, II-III century BC)

At his birth Apollo I wanted him to be a boy and die on the water.
According to some reports, lovers Dionysus

In literature

There was a comedy by Posidippus “Hermaphroditus”.

Hermaphrodites

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

Mythology(Wikipedia)

Androgyne(ancient Greek ἀνδρόγυνος: from ἀνήρ “husband, man” and γυνή “woman”) - an “ideal” person, endowed with external characteristics of both sexes, combining both sexes or devoid of any sexual characteristics.

In mythology androgynes are mythical ancestor creatures, first humans, combining male and female sexual characteristics, less often - asexual. Because the androgynes tried to attack the gods (they became proud of their strength and beauty), the gods divided them in two and scattered them throughout the world. And since then, people are doomed to search for their other half.
In his dialogue “The Symposium,” Plato tells the myth of androgynes, the ancestors of people who combined male and female characteristics. Like the titans, androgynes were terrible in their strength and encroached on the power of the gods. Zeus decided to cut them in half, thereby reducing their strength and arrogance by half. The basis of this myth may have ancient origins, but in Plato’s presentation the myth resembles more of a parody of etiological myths, and in fact serves as an introduction to the doctrine of Eros (it is Eros that unites the separated halves of androgynes). Further description becomes more comical: androgynes had a rounded spherical body, their back did not differ from the chest, there were four arms and legs, on the head there were two completely identical faces, looking in opposite directions, and two pairs of ears.

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.

Hermaphrodite and nymph Salmacis

True hermaphroditism

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 person 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!

Pseudohermaphroditism

Often, hermaphrodites are people whose genitals are shaped so 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 retract inward in such a way that two folds of skin adjacent to each other remain, reminiscent of the labia.
Some male pseudohermaphrodites retain certain masculine characteristics, such as facial hair and a flat chest, while others have feminine ones! 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 testicular atrophy. 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

Hermaphrodite and nymph Salmacis - (Francesco Albani)

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 gods to unite their bodies forever. The prayer was answered, 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.

Hermaphroditus and Salmacis at the moment of reincarnation, ca. 1516 (Mabuse (1478-1532)

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 from clay, but made several mistakes...” Thus, androgynists 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, as punishment, divided them into two sexes. Plato explained that the sexual attraction of opposite sexes is based on the desire to reunite the separated halves.

Hermaphrodite, c. 1800 (fresco)

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 was the reason that man found himself 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 deification 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.

Statue of Hermaphroditus. (Pergamon Museum. Berlin)

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. Even today, Catholic law commands that "the hermaphrodite must decide which flesh predominates in his body to preserve himself according to such declaration."

Fragment of the statue of Hermaphroditus

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 of the nudes are immortalized in classical works of art.

Fragment of the statue of Hermaphroditus

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

Hellenistic statue of Hermaphroditus (Lady Lever Art Gallery)

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 a man's name - 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 the famous doctor, surgeon Savyard, who ultimately made the only correct diagnosis and issued a certificate indicating that the bearer of this, in his physical and mental condition, is much closer to a woman than to 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 general 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 Andre Timothy d'Eon de Beaumont was a pseudohermaphrodite who had a huge influence on the politics of France in the 18th century. It should be emphasized that he was more a man than a woman, lived 82 years and all his life his flesh, his gender remained a mystery. 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 could observe even a slight interest in either women or men.

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 undertakings was the organization of 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 “Arc!”, to which Voltaire replied: “Neither a man nor a woman - and this is precisely the kind of creature de Beaumont is recognized for - should be tested so hard by fate." Later, for unknown reasons, Charles was expelled 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 made 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 like a woman, but was a hermaphrodite. In 1823 it turned out that he 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, 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 Mazo's death in 1864, pathologists stated that, despite the male appearance of the head and body, he was, in essence, a woman who had 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 argued that with a good “fifty-fifty”—another name for androgyny—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 her gender at the age of 40 and married her own children's governess.

George W. Jorgensen changed his 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 the patient two thousand hormonal injections. 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 Sports Federation to subject the athletes there to the test. 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.

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. 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.

This man has two names, two destinies, two genders: nature created him as a man,
and a woman at the same time. He lived for 30 years as the pretty Khadycha, and then became the courageous Kharis
...Mother Nature also makes mistakes, endowing her child with a male body and a female soul. People have learned to cope with this tragic absurdity with the help of a scalpel - gender reassignment has turned into a surgical operation. But what to do in the case when at birth it is not precisely determined who this time turned out to be: a man or a woman? The choice remains with the person, and often his whole life is not enough for him to understand himself.
The doctors did not know what to tell the woman in labor.

We arrived to visit Kharis Kamalov, who lives in the village of Malaevka, Cherdaklinsky district, Ulyanovsk region, immediately after the New Year holidays.

We knocked on the door of the desired house. “Ah-ah! Come visit us!” - the man looked at us over his shoulder and continued to carefully sweep the floor. He finished cleaning and straightened up. Gray hair, a womanly smooth face - not a stubble, not a pimple, well-groomed hands and strange eyes - black with glitter. “He really looks like a woman!” - this thought made me feel creepy.

But then an elderly woman came out of the room and introduced herself: “Kharis’s wife, call me Nurgalyam.”
Without asking why they came, she sat us down at the table and sent her husband to put the kettle on. “Let's eat Tatar pancakes!” - she explained affably.

It was a real pleasure to communicate with Nurgalyam - cheerful, open. It’s more difficult with Kharis. And even then, he felt that I was stealthily looking at him. Who will like it? But then, when we sat and got used to it, the owner of the house told his amazing story.

Kamalov’s parents also lived in Malaevka. Haris's mother really wanted to have a daughter. The birth went well. “Who do I have?” - asked the woman in labor. The doctors hesitated in confusion: the newborn had both male and female genital organs. Until this day, doctors only read about this in textbooks and told parents: decide for yourself what the baby should be. They agreed to consider the baby a girl and registered her under the name Khadycha.
Khadycha realized early that there was something wrong with her. The mother took her daughter to wash in the women's bathhouse, so the women shied away from the naked child like the plague.

The girl grew up, grew long, fluffy braids, began to wear beautiful dresses, and drew in her eyebrows. But in a small village you can’t even hide a sew in a bag.

Yes, Khadycha is pretty and sweet, but she’s just not like everyone else. Guys from neighboring villages came to woo Khadycha. But as soon as they found out about her secret, they turned the shafts. And Khadycha is happy to death! She didn't like guys, but she was interested in girls.

Surprisingly, Khadycha herself was very popular with both men and women. Those round dances revolved around a pretty girl.

At home - lovers, on the street - girlfriends

One day the beautiful Halime came to the village. The guys started spinning around her. Suitors are a dime a dozen! And she liked Khadycha. Soon a rumor spread throughout Malaevka: “There is something between Halime and Khadycha!”
And when Halime settled in Khadycha’s house, fellow villagers literally tormented the guest with questions: “How are you and Khadycha living?” She answered: “We are just friends!”

But Halime was cunning: she fell head over heels in love with Khadycha - as with a man. But Halime did not have the courage to recognize this man as her husband. And the lovers continued to lead a double life: at home - lovers, on the street - girlfriends. Soon such lies became a burden to both of them. Halime ran away.

I met Nurgalyam Khadycha in the village of Yanganaevo, where she came on business. “I talked to her, and there was some kind of excitement in my soul: I liked her, and that’s all! - recalls Nurgalyam. - And these amazing eyes! I was about 30 then, because I was five years older than Khadycha. She buried her husband and her daughter is an adult. I started going to Malaevka to visit. I had relatives there. Here in the evenings there are festivities, Khadycha always plays the harmonica. It's so great! The best! Then the locals told me that it was “double”. At first I was scared, I didn’t even want to see Khadycha anymore. But I soon realized that I loved her.”

The wedding was held at home

Nurgalyam’s romance with Khadycha was short-lived. After a modest home wedding, the wife hinted to her “other half”: “What is the reason for you to remain a woman?” Relatives also advised Khadycha to call herself by a man's name and put on trousers - they say that those around her will not immediately, of course, but in the end they will get used to it.

And Khadycha-Kharis finally made up his mind: he cut his hair short, put on an ironed suit and went out into the street arm in arm with his wife - like an actor on stage! The whole village poured out to see the newlyweds! Kharis blushed and was embarrassed, but he managed.

Kharis turned out to be an amazing husband: affectionate, flexible, understanding. He did all the hard work himself, and also helped his wife in the kitchen. Nurgalyam blossomed before our eyes, literally glowing with happiness. Out of nowhere, envious people appeared among the married couple: either they were irritated by the whole unreality of what happened, or they were biting their elbows for missing out on the groom. And Nurgalyam and Kharis fell more and more in love with each other.

Nurgalyam did not pay attention to the gossip. I was only worried about my daughter, who flatly refused to even meet her mother’s new husband. “Nothing, everything will work out,” she reassured herself.

Years passed before Nurgalyam’s daughter finally agreed to accept her new dad (soon he also became a happy grandfather), and the villagers came to terms with this unusual marriage. Now only evil and heartless people offend the Kamalovs.

Perhaps Kharis was luckier than others: his life turned out to be psychologically and emotionally richer and more intense than that of same-sex intelligent beings. Kharis lives with dignity both as a woman and as a man. Although, in my opinion, Kharis still hasn’t fully figured out who there is more in him.