Modern Science, Intersexuality and the Third Gender

[Guest guest]

As more and more scientific research is conducted on

the study of pre-natal genetics and the hormonal

development of the fetus, the understanding of modern

science regarding intersexuality is becoming

increasingly similar to the Vedic concept of a third

sex or "tritiya-prakriti."

 

The Vedic concept implies, quite simply, that the two

male and female natures sometime combine to form a

third; one that is inherently different from the

original two.

 

In modern science it was originally believed that

males possessed only xy chromosomes and females xx

ones. We are now learning, however, that no male or

female body is made entirely of one group of

chromosomes and that in some instances, the male and

female chromosomes become mixed enough to produce

subtle and sometimes striking changes in the

development of the human body and mind.

 

The study of intersexuality is very new and has only

recently begun to make a lot of surprising and

interesting discoveries regarding sexual behavior and

orientation. Intersexuality produces a myriad of

physical conditions ranging from undescended testicles

all the way up to the actual combination of the male

and female sex organs (hermophroditism). It is also

now suspected that subtle hormonal changes within the

developing fetal brain may also cause various types of

psychological conditions as well as life-long,

male/female sexual orientations such as homosexuality,

transgenderism and bisexuality. Indeed, these various

"alternative" natures may actually be the most common

forms of intersexuality we know. This would explain

why Vedic science classified homosexuals and asexuals

together and often used the same terms to describe

them such as "napumsaka,sandha,kliba," etc.

Bisexuality is believed to naturally occur within

approximately 15% of the population, homosexuality

around 5%, transgenderism .1% and asexuality

(producing physical sterility, dysfunction or

malformed sex organs) at approximately .036%.

 

It is already known that several types of physically

intersexed conditions produce people who have a 30-40%

likelihood of becoming homosexually oriented. In

laboratory studies, scientists have been able to

produce "lesbian" rats that mount other females by

"washing" their developing fetal brains with male

hormones. This would indicate that transgendered

males, for instance, who have always thought and

considered themselves female, may have been

biologically "feminized" since pregnancy. The inner,

primeval functions of the brain are still a great

mystery to science, what to speak of its very early

stages of development within the fetus. While much

more study needs to be done in this regard, all

research conducted so far seems to indicate that

sexuality and gender identity are indeed biologically

rooted and not simply a matter of "moral choices" or

"bad upbringing."

 

Once again modern science is beginning to understand

what ancient Vedic wisdom has known all along---that

is, the existence and acceptance of a natural third

gender.

 

For more information on the science of intersexuality,

go to the Intersex Society of North America at:

 

http://www.isna.org

 

Hare Krishna!

-Amara dasa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Try FREE Mail - the world's greatest free email!

/