• Shou@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    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.

    • fipto@lemmy.world
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      12 hours ago

      “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.