Jackie Laberif's Blog

Did you read the title and thought to yourself, “OMG”, “WTF”, “WTH” or “This can’t be a true story, can it?”YES, It Can!This is a factual story that changes the way some may think about the bathroom madness in the state of North Carolina, that requires an individual to use the restroom according to their birth certificate.  This ‘female change to male’ phenomenon makes our gender-based society more socially complex.  The complexity is our personal stance on how we treat people who are ‘uncontrollably’ different, according to how we are socialized based on societal expectations of male and female behaviors and abilities in regards to sports, jobs, relationships—and YES, laws regarding which restroom an individual is allowed to use.  Religion could play a significant role in our acceptance of who should be identified as male or female.Before readers completely spazz out, I’ll share the facts about the uncontrollable transformation. According to Dr. Julianne Imperato, an Endocrinologist at Cornell University, in the 1970s she discovered that 1 in 90 children in Salinas, Dominican Republic have a rare condition where girls grow a penis at puberty.  The condition is called Guevedoces—which means ‘penis at 12.'  These children are also referred to as ‘machihembras’ – first born a woman, then a man.  Since Dr. Imperato’s discovery, more cases have been found in Sambian Villages, Papua New Guinea.  While the Dominicans celebrate the change, the children in the villages of Papua New Guinea are often rejected—sometimes even by their parents.Why does the conversion happen?  Well, all babies in the womb have internal glands known as gonads and a small bump between their legs called a tubercle, whether male or female.  What happens next is the contributing factor of why 1 in 90 girls born in the Salinas, Dominican Republic develop a penis at puberty.  According to reproductive studies, at around eight weeks, babies who carry the Y chromosome start to produce dihydrotestosterone in large amounts that turn the tubercle into a penis.  Doctors have discovered that some male children are missing the enzyme that triggers the hormone surge.  So when they are born, the male appears to be born female—ambiguous genitalia.Set aside transgender and just think for a moment about the children in Salinas, Dominican Republic and the Sambian Villages of Papua New Guinea.  Their transgender is biological – the change that makes them different is ‘uncontrollable’.  The conversion isn't a medical procedure performed by a human--it all happens biologically.Imagine if your gender changed uncontrollably one day.  According to the restroom usage by gender stated on your birth certificate in North Carolina, which line would you with your Guevedoces condition stand?  On your birth certificate you’re born female, but by 12 years old, you uncontrollably develop a penis.   That makes things a little more complex, doesn’t it?  This ‘first born a woman, then a man,” phenomenon demonstrates the importance of having all the facts before rules are made into laws.   We are required to present proof of age to buy alcohol, to operate a vehicle and even proof of citizenship to work a job.  Are we now headed to having to present proof of gender to use the correct restroom?Some might suggest that there be a non-gender bathroom.  What are you thoughtsDADDY~Carley's Diary~ by Jackie Laberif

Did you read the title and thought to yourself, “OMG”, “WTF”, “WTH” or “This can’t be a true story, can it?” YES, It Can!  This is a factual story that changes the way some may think about the bathroom madness in the state of North Carolina, that requires an individual to use the restroom according to their birth certificate.  This ‘female change to male’ phenomenon makes our gender-based society more socially complex.  The complexity is our personal stance on how we treat people who are

When a person is born with both female and male genitals how do they fit into our gender based society?   Is referring to that person as a hermaphrodite instead of intersex offensive?  The word hermaphrodite is considered to be misleading and stigmatizing to those born with ambiguous genitalia such as a large clitoris or small penis that appear to have an opening underneath.  These are the signs that are visible at birth that makes the medical staff and parents uncertain of gender.  So,