Gender Identity Essay

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Gender Identity Gender identity is something that most people overlook because the obvious difference between male and female. “Gender identity is the psychological awareness or sense of being male or being female, and it is one of the most obvious and important aspects of ones self concepts.” (Rathus, 2011). Gender identity goes way beyond just being male or female, but can also be determined by chromosomal sex, as well as both biology and environmental factors. There are many factors that can determine gender identity. For example, masculinity femininity and the male and female anatomy are factors that determine gender identity. Hermaphrodites are individuals who are born with ovarian and testicular tissue, resulting in having a testicle and an ovary. Hermaphrodites are labeled as male or female at birth, so the gender identity and gender role are determined as soon as a newborn in born, known as the sex assignment. However, intersexual individuals are known to have testicles or ovaries, but do not result in having both. Intersexual individuals show either testes or ovaries of one sex, but external genitalia show sexual organs of the other sex. An individual with intersexualism will have either testes or ovaries that match with their chromosomal sex. Hermaphrodite and intersexuals are caused by hormonal factors in the prenatal development, which determines gender identity. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a form of intersexualism in which, “a genetic female has internal female sexual structures (ovaries), but masculinized external genitals,” (www.congenitaladrenalhyperplasia.org, 2006). This is seen when the clitoris on a female may look like a small penis because of the enlargement of the clitoris. CAH is caused by the exposure of androgens that are produced naturally through adrenal. Women who have a history of miscarriages use androgens to help

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