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Guevoces: meet the girls who become boys at age 12

Guevoces: meet the girls who become boys at age 12

In 2015 the existence of the so-called Guevedoces, children of the Dominican Republic classified as female at birth and at 12 years of age with the appearance of the penis were recognized as being male. Similar cases have been described in Turkey and Papua New Guinea.

How does this happen?

Although strange, the fact has a scientific explanation. These children had a sexual developmental disorder, caused by the deficiency of a protein called 5-alpha-reductase type 2, a rare autosomal recessive disease. The high incidence in this region is due to the large number of inbreeding marriages, which favors the onset of diseases of genetic origin.

There are several genetic alterations that can lead to disorders of sexual development, all occurring in the embryonic phase, of pregnancy. Until the seventh week after conception, the fetus is not sexually differentiated. It is at this time that male fetuses (46XY) begin to develop the testicles, differentiating themselves from female fetuses (46XX), which through their own mechanisms, develop the ovaries.

In the ninth week of gestation, after cells produced testosterone sufficient to allow the synthesis of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is that external genitalia becomes characteristic. It is only in the 17th week that the external sexual organs are fully formed. Differentiation and growth of the external genitalia are particularly dependent on DHT, and 46XY infants who do not have 5-alpha reductase, although they are born with normally functioning testicles, have the external genitalia poorly developed. At puberty, by increasing serum testosterone and DHT concentrations through 5-alpha-reductase type 1, the growth of the testes, penis and muscles begins. Male children with 5-alpha-reductase type 2 deficiency, who had little or almost no penile development, receive this new stimulus that results in the development of their external genitalia, demonstrating that although in childhood they were considered as girls, are actually boys.

Guevedoces are therefore boys who, despite having developed testes and normal levels of testosterone, presented a problem of development of sexual characteristics during gestation, due to the defective conversion of testosterone to dehydrotestosterone , which is fundamental for the sexual differentiation of the fetus.

And the gender identity of these children?

Another issue that arises in front of this population is: what is the gender identification and sexual orientation of these boys, puberty like girls? According to scholars, most of these boys saw themselves as male and felt attracted to girls. This is because the identification of gender (how it feels) and gender orientation (by whom it is attracted) is independent of creation, it is intrinsic to the human being.

Because they are boys treated as girls, it is possible that the Guevoces have feelings ambiguous during childhood due to the disagreement of their personal identification with their bodies and role established by society, and unfortunately some must suffer in their social and family environments, since they do not behave according to their gender expression, that is, were considered as girls, but had male behaviors.

5-alpha-reductase deficiency type 2 is an organic disease of genetic cause, but due to its characteristics, leads us to a much larger discussion about the acceptance of diversity sexual. Society is ready to accept the different, does not follow the pattern of the majority? What about you?


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