Morgan BellThe Transsexual Gene
April 20th 2009 10:46
Its all in your genes, we now know.
So many things about us are predetermined and mapped out in those little human blueprints called DNA. Scientists have discovered the individual genes that lead to many physical and behavioural attributes. We now know that the phenomenon of transsexualism is a genetic trait. Desiring a sex change is biological, gender identity really is something you are born with.
The research was an Australian find, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Scientists examined DNA from 112 male-to-female transsexuals and discovered an unusual version of a gene that affects the male sex hormone testosterone. In many cases there was a longer version of a gene known to modify the action of testosterone. The researchers believe this gene alteration may 'under-masculinise' the brain during its development in the womb.
"There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice; however, our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops."
Dr Vincent Harley, from Prince Henry's Institute in Clayton
"This research suggests that extra long copies of the Androgen Receptor gene potentially affect testosterone function in the brains of male-to-female transsexuals."
"These defective copies of the AR gene could severely reduce normal testosterone levels, resulting in a more female-like brain. Consequently, male-to-female transsexuals might be expected to have a more feminised brain and are therefore likely to display a female gender identity."
"This supports the notion that transsexualism has a biological (genetic) basis rather than being due to psychosocial factors in early childhood."
Professor Andrew Sinclair, from the University of Melbourne
However, this finding does not explain all male-to-female transsexuals suggesting that multiple genetic factors are involved.
So many things about us are predetermined and mapped out in those little human blueprints called DNA. Scientists have discovered the individual genes that lead to many physical and behavioural attributes. We now know that the phenomenon of transsexualism is a genetic trait. Desiring a sex change is biological, gender identity really is something you are born with.
The research was an Australian find, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Scientists examined DNA from 112 male-to-female transsexuals and discovered an unusual version of a gene that affects the male sex hormone testosterone. In many cases there was a longer version of a gene known to modify the action of testosterone. The researchers believe this gene alteration may 'under-masculinise' the brain during its development in the womb.
"There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice; however, our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops."
Dr Vincent Harley, from Prince Henry's Institute in Clayton
"This research suggests that extra long copies of the Androgen Receptor gene potentially affect testosterone function in the brains of male-to-female transsexuals."
"These defective copies of the AR gene could severely reduce normal testosterone levels, resulting in a more female-like brain. Consequently, male-to-female transsexuals might be expected to have a more feminised brain and are therefore likely to display a female gender identity."
"This supports the notion that transsexualism has a biological (genetic) basis rather than being due to psychosocial factors in early childhood."
Professor Andrew Sinclair, from the University of Melbourne
However, this finding does not explain all male-to-female transsexuals suggesting that multiple genetic factors are involved.
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Comment by alt_ed
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Interesting.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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im sure theres a gene for multiple personality disorder
sometimes men who obsess about women do so because they want to be one
when his case goes to court see if your solicitor can get a blood sample and we can test for sure
hi Janet,
actually Cheryl passed this little article along to me and i found it quite pleasing myself
as Dr Harley said above, it smashes the myth that sex change is a "lifestyle choice", and i think the more people that know this, the easier life will be for the transgendered
they really are born that way!
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they have not conducted any research into female to male transsexuals yet, but in commenting on the current research an expert responded with the following:
...
For future research, I hope that the researchers will be able to assess more putative genetic factors, and include female-to-male transsexuals and men and women with a range of gender-atypical features.
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A/Prof Juliet Richters is an Associate Professor in Sexual Health at the University of New South Wales.
so hopefully in the future to flipside will be investigated too . . . i dare say, with more research they will determine it is multiple genetic factors, as opposed to a sole gene . . . i will be very excited to learn more about this as it all unfolds
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even more meddling hey? lol
you forgot to thank Ruby for her comment!
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Comment by Alita Morgan
I know that as someone of a Male to Female transsexual background and experience, that this is not something that is about choice, maybe more about it choosing you than you choosing it. I always felt the way I did, though like many lived through the denial and anguish until I had to act upon it. Some others have even told me that their bodies were shutting down before they undertook therapies, which could have some currency - rage and grief and those kind of emotions can effect the physical if held onto for a long time and not dealt with.
But what does this research indicate? A possible cure? I'm always dubious about when they research the genetic factors surrounding gender and sexual diversity. While I wouldn't wish transsexualism upon anyone, I am glad for my life experiences and what I have learnt from them - and just wonder that now when transsexual people are finally facing greater levels of acceptance - do we now face extinction?
Comment by Mau-Medellin
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I love your comment... it has a real 'THINK' factor to it. Certainly, with many advancements in science, we, as a collective (humans) seem to be trying to find an easy fix- and sometimes those fixes will result in our under-developement as ultimately we are the people we are based on what we learn from life. If we just swallow a pill, are we saying we don't want to learn from hardship or real life experience?
There may be some trans people who feel it would be easier for them to 'cure' the symptoms of feeling trapped within the wrong body, however, I believe we should support those who wish to embark on the journey and find their true identities.
Mau-Medellin
Comment by Morgan Bell
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im so glad you checked out my link from Facebook, its great to have the opinions of someone with your experience
this study was from 2008 so its probably the same one, but if you know of any others i would love to hear about them
i know whenever the "gay gene" is proposed homosexuals get uncomfortable about the possible applications . . . in the age of designer babies and IVF etc the concern is quite real
i would hope the information is using to create a better understanding of transsexual people, help people realise it is all part of nature . . . and ones true nature is the most natural thing in the world
if it does turn out that transsexualism is a complex combination of genes it may be difficult to "screen" for, but it does raise the question "if we could, should we?"
thanks for contributing to the discussion!
(ill see you around Farm Town haha)
Comment by Morgan Bell
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it was a good thinking comment hey
i believe in the deaf commonity there is (was) similar debate over whether a child born deaf should get a cochlear ear implant . . . the objection being it implies that communicating through sign language and lip reading etc is a less "good" way to live
i guess it depends on the person, im asexual and if the government offered me a free procedure to "correct" it i would not accept as i am content as i am, it does not trouble me
however, if i had children and i could choose not to select the gene that would make them like me maybe i would, i dont know, are hetero-norm people really any happier than queer people? at least we have a close-knit community i guess . . .
definately a multi-faceted issue
Comment by Mau-Medellin
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It's a tremendously interesting topic. I guess it could be summed up by what we deem to be an illness. From my seat I would say if we can choose for our children to be born free of a condition or disease that would cause, or increase the chances of death such as cancer then I would tick all the boxes to ensure they are born healthy. If though, we could test and see if they would be born gay, asexual, autistic etc then I would probably not want to 'fix' the 'problem' as it would be like deciding to change their whole being.
Perhaps if we stick with eradicating the risks associated with physical illnesses rather than trying to control the minds and psychology of people.
That said, I can see that even people with a sever physical disability may not want to change a thing, as they are still equally valuable humans, and form part of the delicate fabric that is our diverse society.
If we go to far then, basically, we are just little robots!
Comment by Alita Morgan
Yes it is a complex topic indeed. I think my gut reaction comes from knowing certain individuals in my life and the choices they have made. A typical example being one woman who was having a hard time conceiving, then she finally did and was overjoyed, but that joy was short lived when they tested for any possible abnormalities and found the foetus had down syndrome. So she aborted. To me at the time it seemed like a huge ingratitude on her part and I was surprised that she could then continue to get help and treatments to conceive again until she had the baby she wanted. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but where does baby designing stop?
But then if there is indeed a complex genetic indicator of transsexualism, doesn't that raise a lot of the same questions that the intersex community has been dealing with for years - i.e. they being born with physical gender differences and the debate about who decides, whether a parent or doctor makes the decision to align them to a certain gender at birth or the child is allowed to make their own identifications later on.
And then one needs to think about those that fall between the cracks. There are so many different levels of diversity on the gender spectrum. How do these tests work there? For instance would an effeminate straight man who never felt transsexual in his whole long life show up as transsexual on their tests? Or for that matter - what about a 'tomboy' girl who was not transsexual?
Okay, enough rambling from me, back in my box. See you round Farm Town Morgan, LOL
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I had read these findings myself during some of my own research ~ because I read a lot of medical journals (amongst other things). I find the findings fascinating and in doing so realise I have a theory of sorts developing about nature having its own population control methods, exactly thus; hidden in the DNA and also that further discoveries have found that the connecting neural pathway between the two brain hemispheres is shorter in homosexuals than heterosexuals.
It makes sense if you consider demand and supply of food and the current trend population growth, that along with disease there would be this DNA gene alteration.
I get a little angry when i read that people hail the discovery as a way through to a cure (?) Why does there have to be a cure if it is a natural mutation by nature to protect itself. . it means that no matter what, that person sees it as something freaky and *wrong?* It*s not as if it is debilitating like Spina Bifida or something, which raises a point. Does this gene shorten the life expectancy of its occupant?
The comments make an interesting study here for a researcher, as well as those affected by the gene itself, well posted.
Lilla . .
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I was born gay - nothing moulded me that way so I am sure they will pretty soon uncover the gay gene and if they do I am going go have 100 babies and they will all be gay. We rule
Good to see some evidence this time supporting that we are not all freaks created by society and environment.
Besides what the complete mapping of DNA is basically doing is coming down to the basic model. We don't all want the basic model of a human - we would all be the same and totally boring.
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it does raise interesting questions about the value of diversity in society, about queer visibility, and about accepting difference
hi Alita,
i think there is also the issue of how much "designing babies" is done for the convenience of the parents and how much is actually for the welfare of the child, there are perceptions (perhaps valid in some cases) that a deaf, or down syndrome, or gay, or transsexual child is more difficult to raise, but does that mean they should not exist?
a tomboy or nancy boy may love being the way they are, and never deire undergoing any painful surgery, but is would be a less interesting world if the genes which make up these people were bred out of the human species . . . thanks agin for the informative comments
hi Lilla,
thats really interesting about the brains of homosexuals, i would love to research that more, i think biology is a fascinating field
i agree with you that simply observing a biological pattern should not always mean a leap to "curing" the human trait
ideally knowledge on genes should be used to prevent pain and distress, and perhaps shorter lifespans
in the case of down syndrome i know they tend to live shorter lives, so their is probably disagreement as to how valid that criteria is
i also know transsexual people have a higher incidence of suicide, but in my opinion that is due to a lack of social acceptance, not an inherant trait as such
thanks for the thoughtful comment
hi Norm,
ive been accused of doing worse to you
hi Gaye,
im glad you enjoyed the post, i think for many of us the scientists are just confirming what we already suspected
hi Cheryl,
thanks so much for bringing this article to my attention!
its funny some ignorant (sometimes bitter) hetero-norm people will routinely state that people claim to be gay, or asexual, or transsexual etc because it is "cool" or "trendy" or "special" . . . i think these people dont understand the challenges, and would benefit from walking a mile in someone elses shoes
hi David,
great to see you are still subscribed to my blog even though your account was removed from Orble . . . maybe you might learn something
hi Jason,
imagine if they scanned everyones blood for the gay gene and outed all the closeted politicians and homophobes?
and imagine all the mothers requesting gay children so they can have someone to style their hair and choose fabulous outfits for them, and take them out to gourmet restaurants? haha
the thing i always thought about the movie Gattaca was that there is no way every parent would desire the same traits, some people value being artistic and creative over math ability and athleticism
Comment by Jason King
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So true though and I LOVED Gattaca
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i loved Gattaca too!
im a bit of a sci-fi nerd . . . i should do a post on it!
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I haven't seen Gattaca for years - I might have to rehire it. Those showers were so cool and the whole color tone was awesome.
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haha no i never sleep!
im a robot!
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oh yay!
i will subscribe right away!
great title for your blog by the way
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks for your interpretation of gender . . . are you saying we are all a bit of a mix?