Well isn’t this poignant: Confusion about what it means to be intersexed isn’t limited to South African athletes. Meet Rudy Alaniz, a Gulf War veteran who learned through a wartime MRI that he had ovaries — and a small womb.
Interviewed for a National Geographic Channel piece airing Saturday (complete with both Brokeback and scary music!), Rudy says of the revelation: “I’m not a boy, and I’m not a girl, I’m not a man, I’m not a woman. That made me feel dead inside. … That made me feel like a freak of nature.”
Someone who ends up intersex often has an extra chromosome, leading to anything from men forming ovaries to or women forming small penises. (Don’t make us put scare quotes around “men” and “women.”) If you’re into this sort of thing, Google is you friend in finding out the graphic representations of all the things the human body is capable of that have nothing to do with “male or female?” checkboxes.
Learning you’re intersexed must be a shock to anyone. You’ve grown up believing certain things about your self, and your body, to be true. And it’s not that finding out he has girl parts means Rudy’s life has to change in any meaningful way. But it certainly creates this mindfuck: Rudy, who says he has XXY chromosomes, believes his gender was decided at birth with surgery. That’s going to be a fun conversation with mom and dad.
How about we take this to the next level?
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will clemens
This has to be more difficult that being a homosexual, at least I think it is. I knew a Intersexed person in college, and he sufferd from deep depression.
dizzyspins
Im a little confused–how do you not know you have a womb? Is it completely internal? If you have visible, functional male genetalia and have been raised a male your whole life and are happy with a male idenity, then I don’t think this has to be life-alteringly traumatic. I believe gender experssion is a personal thing–how I act as a man is not neccesarily how you do–so there’s no “wrong” way to be a man.
Grammar Police
Faught?
dgz
@Grammar Police: oh my. i think Queerty has completely given up. well, at least people with GEDs are still getting jobs.
hyhybt
@dizzyspins: Um, YES, wombs are internal. Unless you have a prolapse or something.
AlwaysGay
He’s definitely let the intersex discovery get to him. He is no longer recognizable compared to the younger him. Now he looks androgynous.
Kropotkin
“If you have visible, functional male genetalia and have been raised a male your whole life and are happy with a male idenity, then I don’t think this has to be life-alteringly traumatic.”
dizzyspins,
It’s because society essentializes gender as in the male=penis and woman=vagina myth.
Kailana Sidrandi Alaniz
hi all, and I am not XXY, The editors cut up my 3 days of filming and edited out the usefull information that would of explained in detail what my teen years were like and my medical history.
At no time Was I happy as a boy. Get that straight right now. What makes me so different is my medical experiences. I had doctors throughout my life questioning me, whether or not I was happy as a boy. at 13 I was told I was a girl, then kicked out of the exam room so the doctor could talk to my mother. ie Gender confusion throughout my teen years and early adult.
My military service, MOS, is Infantryman. 11Bravo. I volunteered for service during the Gulf War, and was attached temporary duty with the 1461st transportation company.
I also want to point out, that i knew before deploying and the military doctors knew before i deployed that iwas different, the DNA record testing prior to deployment, they said my blood says i am female. They did not do any more testing or explane how. Their only issue wast again, Am I a Gay Male? Which is or was a no at the time. I was dating women, and that was good enough for them.
After i came back the Chest xray showed only 1 adrenal gland present. the xray was performed due to deployment in Kuwait where i worked behind supporting the EOD teams, ie I was manual labor basically removing the left over munitions throughout Kuwait, ie after the EOD teams said it was safe. I have great pictures but they producer suggested using film clips instead of my own.
To make it clearer, The National Geographic Channels editing, has caused alot of missinformation to be put out, I am XY/XO that is called Mosaicism, it is also stated as 45XO/46XY and I also have CAH, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. <–in 1993 the military medical doctors called that Adrenal Genital Syndrome.<–that is my other diagnosis and it is the first one I was aware of, the CAH dx is what lead to my karyotype and I will make it clear, it took a total of 7 weeks to go through all the testing just to find out what i am, and since 93, coming back to the states doctors have chosen to ignore what the military identified. Later more surgery, just to look more like a guy.
Androgenous? i am a true-hermaphrodite guess what, i am supposed to look that way. Now that does not make me happy by the way, cause it really does suck.
Kailana Sidrandi Alaniz
if it helps any what they said, how they described my internal anatomy:
2 bilateral ovaries, left 2.7cm by 1.4cm, right 2.5cm by 1.3cm. undifferentiated mullerian ducts, and a juvenile uterus.
a week later, after spending 3 hours talking to a military psychiatrist, he ordered my first set of lab work, I then waited for the results, 2 weeks later, Adrenal Genital Syndrome ie CAH was the first diagnosis and after they explained using a medical encyclopedia what that was, they ordered more lab work ie Karyotype both blood and bucceal.
results. XY/XO
Gender = Female/Male
Intersex true-hermaphrodite.
that is my diagnosis and the TNGC editing did not explain any of that information.
I have two testes and two ovaries and I did provide them with MRI scans from 2004, that show’s penile reconstruction which I was made aware of in 1993. Yet local doctors radiologist ignore that information and state what i have is acceptable for a penis.
They describe the previously identified juvenile uterus now, after surgery in 2002, as a heterogenous structure reminiscent of a prostate. <–it looks that way, due to surgical reconstruction. they also identify several vascular bundles on the right side, that have been severed from what they use to attach too. Basically what i have now internally is 1/3 of the size of what i used to have. I describe what doctors have done in 2002 as an equivalent to a partial hysterectomy and tubal ligation and resection. I still have my ovaries they just sit higher then before and they still work.
all of this information I had mentioned and the editing for the documentary withheld this information.
Gender identity and acceptance is nothing really, when others chose to hide what doctors really do to intersex people.
It is my adult surgeries that have proven to me the most that doctors make critical life altering decisions based on their personal beliefs and could care less what they do to the people that are their victims.
i hope people can learn from real experiences of an intersex born person who has some crappy experiences by doctors and family.
take care and please try to understand or comprehend that if this was you, how would you feel about what you are?
RealXXY
Kailana Sidrandi Alaniz is a fraud. She definitely does have a D.S.D. I believe she’s a 46XY DSD Transwoman. All her claims on Bodies Like Ours about XXY from 2004 are nonsense. There is no association at all between 45X/46XY people and XXY people. Most XXY people are male and identify as male, X0/XY people can be either male or female.
She does not have CAH as the type of CAH she claims would have caused a precocious puberty in persons with testes about the age of 5! And she would definitely not qualify for military service.
And she is not a True Hermaphrodite either. True Hermaphrodites do not have two distinct pair of gonads, they have an ovary or a testi, two ovotestes or an ovotesti and a testi or an ovary. She literally has no idea what she’s talking about.
The National Geographic video does not mention karyotypes at all so how she can claim here that their editing had something to do with the confusion I have no idea! However I am in communication with this woman on YouTube where I have explained to her precisely where her claims are ridiculous.
The pope
The RealXXY is none other than Graeme Stephen Tucker of New Zealand. He is a 47XXY person who rejects being intersex and rejects what is assigned to him medically and biologically. Graeme Stephen Tucker is a Transsexual with GIDNOS because he is rejecting being born intersex and has had surgery and is taking HRT. He acts and behaves like a FTM Transsexual and is an epic failure because he tries to be a normal man, but fails so miserably at it.
Graeme Stephen Tucker on Youtube behaves like a Female to Male Transsexual and is one of those people on Youtube who makes numerous stalking, bullying and Harassing videos. He is a Youtube cyberstalker, Cyberbully and someone who will harass and bully people on Youtube. He makes numerous Youtube channels in order to Harass, bully and stalk people online.
Graeme Stephen Tucker has done time in a New Zealand prison and has one time been charged with attempted murder of Robert Derek Baker. He tried to OJ his landlord and as a result the New Zealand police force have him under watch. He also has been known to make vids posting pictures of Naked kids under the guise of Medical education.
Graeme Stephen Tucker is a Lunatic and someone with gender and mental issues. He has most recently called a Transsexual from the UK a Bigot and that Transsexuals name on Youtube is Joancollins2009.
Zoe Brain
@The pope:
That you, Nicky? I thought I recognised your inimitable style. Please get some help.
FWIW RealXXY is incorrect here. Kailana’s description is that of PMDS – Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome – along with 46XY/45X Mixed Gonadal Dysgenesis, the same syndrome Josef Kirchner has.
MGD can cause extremely variable effects, from the rare “hermaphrodite” PMDS with 2 sets of partial genitalia, all the way through to the even rarer IPSR – Idiopathic Partial Sex Reversal.
Adrenal Hyperplasia, whether Classic Congenital, or Late-Onset, wouldn’t surprise me either. Frankly, when things are so far from the norm, few things would surprise me. Such conditions are so rare that little is known about them, other than they exist. The more I study, the more papers I read, the less certain I am about excluding anything as impossible.
I’d be willing to bet that a karyotype of her ovaries and other organs would show some 47XXY and 46XX cells too. That appears to be true in similar way-out cases, such as this (mainly) 46XY mother’s:
RealXXY
@Zoe Brain,
Hi Zoe, nice of you to pop by. Kailana’s claims on BLO are that XXY is X0/XY which it is not. It is nonsense. I believe Kailana is a DSD Transwoman because X0/XY is specifically discounted as a True Hermaphrodite condition and that the definition of True Hermaphrodite does not include 2 working sets opposite gonads, not genitals. In fact the internal and external reproductive organs/genitals (other than gonads) are not part of any diagnosis of True Hermaphrodite.
Kailana states categorically that she is XXY with CAH at BLO Why if she knew she was X0/XY in 1993? And the type of CAH she claims is not the type that brings about virilisation of female genitals, and if she did have that type with her testes she would have had a precocious puberty.
See here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JcqrLqbShI
RealXXY
@ Zoe Brain,
“I’d be willing to bet that a karyotype of her ovaries and other organs would show some 47XXY and 46XX cells too. That appears to be true in similar way-out cases, such as this (mainly) 46XY mother’s:?
I’d be willing to bet Kailana was 100% 46XY in all her cells and that she has no ovaries at all. She is a genetic male as evidenced by karyotypes made available on YouTube by her. There is only her word to support she does have ovaries, but the 3 things she does claim are all wrong.
It would be dead easy to get a Dr to examine her today and get a letter confirming all she says, but she refuses to. Combined with the fact that no True Hermaphrodite has ever had 2 sets of functioning gonads, the CAH she claims is the wrong one to bring about virilisation and her absolute statement of fact that she was XXY in 2004 makes her entire story fishy, unbelievable in fact.
The pope
Nope, I’m not this Nicky character you claim. I’m Marcus Holmes Of Compton, CA.
I heard about Graeme Stephen Tucker after seeing one of his vids and hearing him calling a Transsexual youtuber from the UK by the name of Joancollins2009 a Bigot. I saw that from someone who sent me that Vid and was livid at the fact that someone who calls other people a Bigot and then goes out to call someone else who he likes and supports a bigot as well. It shows how he likes to Contradict himself.
Also if the RealXXY said junk like that in Compton he would not be alive for long cause people would put him in his place for good. In Compton, CA people don’t tolerate his crap.
Also since Graeme acts like a FTM and behaves like a FTM. I have seen his vids and know that He is a Transsexual and that he behaves like one.
Andres
@RealXXY:
Let’s see how Zoe likes to explain this picture on BLO
http://www.bodieslikeours.org/forums/showpost.php?p=16764&postcount=62
Andres
@RealXXY:
I also bet that Zoe can’t explain this as wel
http://womenborntranssexual.com/2009/10/14/alien-abductions-and-claims-of-improbable/
http://tgnonsense.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/on-fear-and-hate/
It seems to me that Zoe is hated by some transsexuals as well.
RealXXY
@Andres
Nicky you’re not intelligent enough to change your style.
Say hello to your other ego “The Pope” for me.
Andres
@RealXXY:
Oh man you are so deluded to think I am this Nick person your so obsessed with. You are a delusional whacko.
RealXXY
@Andres,
Nicky, grow up.
Andres B.
You think I am this Nicky Character, Prove it. It seems to me that you are the one who needs to grow up
Kailana S. Alaniz
The BLO comment from 2004 was a typo and missunderstanding while chatting with a mother with CAH and her asking me about her sons possibly being mosaic as thier developement was not expected for CAH boys. After informing her of some testing optioins she could mention to her GP I advised her to write a post as perhaps someone might know of qualified dr’s in her area or someone not to far away where she might be understood better. My refference to XXY had nothing to do with 47XXY Klinefelters Syndrome but did concerning X/XY more commonly seen as XY/XO or 45XO/46XY as that is techinically the correct abbreviation. Forgetting the forward slash was just a typo, and I can male it clear it is likely just a typo or a general mistake due to be tired and not checking what I had typed before posting.
Now concerning CAH, that is what the military dr’s said after the first set of labs came back, many years later I was made aware that it is actually cushings and the bilateral adrenal ectomy performed as a kid, don’t ask me when as I am not sure, lots of surgeries and not sure if it was as an infant or one of my teen surgeries as no one has told me. but in 1993 I had one very large left Adrenal Gland and regardless of having one, I was still allowed to continue my service when it was discovered in May of 1991. My command was happy with my performance as a soldier so please stop assuming you know what the military will do or whom they will allow in or not for service.
The only medical reference I am aware of when enlisting is a medical classification as 5B but I have no idea what that means, I can say that I was cleared for service and did well until my lower back injury.
Kailana S. Alaniz
@Zoe Brain
Thanks for the support it is appreciated. If you want to know I was posted on medscape nursing in the XO Male information, most of the information though is edited out now. I believe someone was paying attention to my recent comments about me getting annoyed with medical yahoo’s sharing inaccurate information concerning my mental health as they have often missreported ie depression they caused which caused a few other medical problems for me. I am still there most wont know its me and they also removed the chromosomal findings but for the most part the Xq-:Yp- information is still available. Now other then that I have records in quite a few places, JECM has several, NEJM has a few more, and yes much like the woman you provided a link to I also have several cell lines, and also many chromosomal anomalies as well. But you have to know where to look and have access. only ones i don’t have access to right now are the ones on NEJM as my subscription is expired. i just don’t share them and won’t until one of my dr’s gets smart and actually talks to me.
Ahh lets see the Chromosome imaging by the National Geographic Channel was used to explain some variations that can affect people, they did not share any information about me other then to say that some female anatomy was present in what appeared to be a male.
Strong Y. Guy
Kailana is such a liar, that he’s like the Bernie Madoff of the Intersex community. Medically speaking, he cannot have 2 testes, and 2 ovaries as he claims, and NOT be sterile. It is medically impossible.
Also, his claims that he was born a female with a 45 XO/46 XY karotype need to be scrutinized. 95% of all 45 XO/46 XY mosaics are ALWAYS born visibly male with NO unusual gentialia. And to date, females are extremely rare. Of the few females that have been identified, only 1 has ever been found to have 1 testes and 1 ovary, and she was stone cold sterile. All of this information is available for free on PubMed.
Also, as some people may notice, Kailana’s statements seem to contradict themselves. A lot. First, Kailana claims that he was improperly diagnosed as having CAH from military doctors, but he doesn’t explain how. This is important, especially since testing for CAH is radically different from the Cushings disease test. There is no way in hell, that any doctor could possible mistake CAH with Cushing’s Disease. It’s crazy. They’re not tested the same way. There is no in between, or gray areas. Therefore, Kailana has to be lying.
Second, Kailana is claiming that he has Cushings disease/syndrome. But in every single article he has ever written online in over 10 years, he has NEVER mentioned this to anyone until now. WHY? Why would a man who wants to be known as a true hermaphrodite, HIDE this fact until now? That is highly suspicious of a man who intends to deceive.
And why didn’t Kailana make a better effort to correct the half a dozen articles he authored where he claimed to have CAH? This doesn’t make any sense either. Because if you want the world to know who you are, then you would naturally want the world to have accurate information about you, especially since he’s so RARE as he claims to be a true Hermaphrodite. And inaccuracy is one of his complaints. Kailana accuses doctors of being very biased and bigoted in regards to Intersex people, especially him. Yet when it comes to his own medical history, Kailana appears to have Alzheimer’s disease; that is until someone realizes he contradicted himself. At which point Kailana then claims not to have CAH like he said he has had for the past 10 years, but cushings disease instead, and a completely new diagnosis that no one has ever heard of until now.
I’m sorry, but logic and reason do not allow me to believe any of Kailana’s claims as legit. There are just way too many lies, and gross inaccuracies to take anything he says at this point seriously.
In all honestly, I would be surprised if he claims he is unable to release his medical information due to privacy concerns, or claims that some psychiatric disease made him lie. Or even if he pretends to kill himself to hide the fact that he’s been lying to so many people for so long.
I am intersex, and XXY, and I hate Intersex fakes. And Kailana has proven himself by his own words to be a fake. Anyone who can read can easily see that.
He’s finished, and that’s a good thing. Let’s all hope he never comes back again.
Anna777
I heard, now this may be rumour but I believe it is truth that there is a magical sword buried in the highlands of Scotland. I heard if you obtain this sword and cut the heads off of other intersex people you attain their feminine powers. Once you decapitate all other intersex people you become the only true intersexual. “There can be only one!”. Does anyone here know if this rumour is true and if this sword exists?
JPB
Sounds like High Lander for hermaphrodites. I am XXY and the military tested me the same way. Please be nicer doctors lie and we have to work out these half truths and wrong information. Please be nicer in your intersex studies and follow the nurses code of harm no one! I want to help and learn about being intersexed. It’s a shock to find out and be treated this way. I will do what ever I can to help.