Pseudohermaphrodite (Noun)
Meaning
Someone having external genitalia of one sex and internal sex organs of the other sex; not a true hermaphrodite because there is no ambiguity in the sex of the external genitalia and hence no question about gender at birth.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- In some cases, a pseudohermaphrodite may have testes and appear to be a normal male, but also have a uterus and fallopian tubes.
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia can lead to pseudohermaphroditism in females, causing an enlarged clitoris and fused labia.
- The term pseudohermaphrodite was once used to describe individuals with a disorder of sex development, but it is now considered outdated and stigmatizing.
- A pseudohermaphrodite may be a genetic male with XY chromosomes but have external genitalia that appear female due to androgen insensitivity syndrome.
- Historically, pseudohermaphrodites were often subjected to unnecessary medical interventions to "normalize" their genitalia and reinforce traditional gender roles.