when you say “both sex organs”, I’d like to clarify that there has never been a recorded case of a human h*rmaphrodite. (NOTE: this is not only an offensive term (when used on humans, as opposed to say, frogs), but also an inaccurate term! just a fun fact for the readers…) to elaborate:
there has never been a recorded case of someone who successfully produces both eggs and sperm (whereas some other animals do). while you are correct that sometimes you may be born with organs that resemble both testes and ovaries, there will only be one that functions, or one that is closer to functioning (one is more dominant). sometimes neither function.
ps - I don’t have a narrative. I just love science! biology is neat. and this is all totally separate from gender identity.
What about true hermaphrodite? That’s a term for a specific type of intersex that has both sex organs fused together. And develop secondary sex characteristics during puberty.
“true hermaphrodite” is sort of a misnomer in humans.
when people are called this, the term refers to people who have what resembles both ovarian and testicular tissue. this could be: one ovary and one testicle, or one or more ‘ovotestes’ which are structures that sort of resembles both.
no matter the combination, we have never observed a human being who has produced both eggs and sperm. even individuals with this different development of sexual organs still produce either eggs, sperm, or (somewhat commonly) neither one.
also, its not just that we haven’t observed someone who produces both gametes, but it is basically impossible due to how our bodies work.
when you say “both sex organs”, I’d like to clarify that there has never been a recorded case of a human h*rmaphrodite. (NOTE: this is not only an offensive term (when used on humans, as opposed to say, frogs), but also an inaccurate term! just a fun fact for the readers…) to elaborate: there has never been a recorded case of someone who successfully produces both eggs and sperm (whereas some other animals do). while you are correct that sometimes you may be born with organs that resemble both testes and ovaries, there will only be one that functions, or one that is closer to functioning (one is more dominant). sometimes neither function.
ps - I don’t have a narrative. I just love science! biology is neat. and this is all totally separate from gender identity.
What about true hermaphrodite? That’s a term for a specific type of intersex that has both sex organs fused together. And develop secondary sex characteristics during puberty.
“true hermaphrodite” is sort of a misnomer in humans. when people are called this, the term refers to people who have what resembles both ovarian and testicular tissue. this could be: one ovary and one testicle, or one or more ‘ovotestes’ which are structures that sort of resembles both. no matter the combination, we have never observed a human being who has produced both eggs and sperm. even individuals with this different development of sexual organs still produce either eggs, sperm, or (somewhat commonly) neither one.
also, its not just that we haven’t observed someone who produces both gametes, but it is basically impossible due to how our bodies work.
No problem - good call-out and you’re correct as far as I’m aware.