United Kingdom
— Genetically and physically male babies born
with a rare condition called "micropenis" are happier
when raised as boys, according to research.
Those born with
micropenis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micropenis>
and raised as girls said they identified solidly with
their female gender, but only 20% of the women said they
were satisfied with their genitalia.
However, 50% of men, some
of whom had achieved normal penis length with the help of
testosterone replacement, said they were satisfied with
their genitalia.
An article in Hormone
Research says parents often choose to have their
child brought up female because micropenis can sometimes
result in inadequate male sexual function later in life.
Psychologist Amy
Wisniewski, who led the US-research, said: "Raising a
baby either male or female presents parents with
challenges.
"But we were pleased with
the successful outcome of some of the males.
"All men who were
compliant with their testosterone replacement attained a
final penile length within the normal range."
Micropenis is when the
penis elongates properly during the first trimester of
pregnancy in a male baby, but fails to grow normally in
the second and third trimesters.
Micropenises are
typically 1.9cm or less at birth when stretched.
Child 'cruelty'
Micropenis may also be
accompanied by small testes and lower testosterone
production, which often leads to enlarged breasts and
sparse body hair as the child grows older.
The research team
collected birth and adult genitalia measurements from 13
men and 5 women, all born with a micropenis.
They surveyed the
individuals, all adults between 21 and 54 years of age
for self-assessments of gender identity, sexual function
and satisfaction with their genitalia.
They also asked
participants questions regarding sexual orientation,
marriage and satisfaction with their sex of rearing.
Of the 12 men who
responded, 10 reported a male heterosexual orientation,
six were married and 11 said they were satisfied with
their sex of rearing.
Among the four women who
responded, three reported a female heterosexual
orientation, none was married, and all were satisfied
with the sex of their rearing, although men were more
often satisfied with the appearance of their genitalia.
Dr Wisniewski said: "Our
recommendation that babies be raised male is based not on
problems with gender identity but on the difficulties
associated with the surgical construction of a vagina and
subsequent hormone treatment."
The UK Intersex
Association (UKIA) <http://www.ukia.co.uk/>
is not surprised by the results of the study.
Mairi MacDonald said:
"The opinion of UKIA is that carrying out genital
cosmetic surgery in an attempt to reassign an infant's
gender identity from male to female on the sole grounds
that he has a small penis would, in a sane world, be
classed as child abuse.
"Those responsible would
be prosecuted and banned from further practice in the
field of paediatrics."
