Sex development, puberty, and transgender identity

Transgender-related issues have recently received a great deal of attention in political discourse, resulting in polarization and controversy. As a reproductive biologist, I find it frustrating when people (on both sides!) make mistakes resulting from a lack of understanding of the biology behind these issues. For example, pro-transgender people often dismiss the differences in athletic capabilities between cisgender and transgender women, and anti-transgender people often confuse puberty blockers with cross-sex hormones. So in order to help people make better informed decisions, I will provide a biological overview of the following topics: Definition of terms, including intersex and transgender Basic developmental biology of sex Prevalence and potential causes of transgender identity As with my previous post, I will attempt to remain as neutral as possible, and stick to scientific facts instead of my personal opinions. And where the science isn’t fully settled yet, I will be sure to p

Transgender-related issues have recently received a great deal of attention in political discourse, resulting in polarization and controversy. As a reproductive biologist, I find it frustrating when people (on both sides!) make mistakes resulting from a lack of understanding of the biology behind these issues. For example, pro-transgender people often dismiss the differences in athletic capabilities between cisgender and transgender women, and anti-transgender people often confuse puberty blockers with cross-sex hormones. So in order to help people make better informed decisions, I will provid