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Biology Professor Explains What “Biological Sex” Really Means, Starts A Heated Debate On Twitter
Sad to say, prejudice, discrimination and bigotry are still a thing in many societies, and part of it stems from people’s convictions regarding things like sex and gender identity.
In today’s case, it particularly ties in with how the term biological sex is thrown about to justify one’s beliefs on what and how humans ought to be.
Well, this one biologist explained on Twitter what biological sex actually is, that it’s not as clear-cut as some might believe it to be, and that it shouldn’t be considered a basis for bigotry and discrimination.
RELATED:
Sex and gender identity debates often include people throwing about the ‘biological sex’ term, which this biologist decided to explain in more detail
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Rebecca R. Helm is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina, who studies ecology and evolution of how animals change through time.
Some time ago, she went to Twitter to tackle the term biological sex. You see, some people make it seem like it’s all very simple, but Helm breaks it down and shows just how simple it really is.
Biologist Rebecca Helm posted a tweet thread detailing how ‘biological sex’ isn’t as simple as some may think
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Now, there are several ways of approaching this: on a chromosomal, hormonal, or even cellular level. But none of them would allow you to reach a simple explanation.
Sure, you can say there are the XX/XY chromosomes and the SRY gene that really matters to sex here. But there’s also a chance where SRY can pop off the chromosome and your physical, chromosomal, and genetic sex might vary altogether because of this without you even knowing it.
Helm tackles all aspects of human biology, including chromosomes, genes, cells, and even hormones
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
And it’s the same level of complexity with the hormonal and cellular definitions too. There are abnormalities whereby women could be able to generate more male hormones than males themselves, but they would otherwise still look very much feminine. Would that make them male?
Same goes with cells—there’s this thing with cells having receptors that hear sex hormones, but sometimes they don’t work. Does that make them stuck between two traditional genders as a non-binary?
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
As you might have guessed, the possibilities here are endless, where you can be a different sex on a genetic, chromosomal, hormonal, cellular, and even physical level. Yep, this is totally not complicated at all.
Helm concluded that hence biological gender shouldn’t be a basis to discriminate and judge people: “Biology is complicated. Kindness and respect don’t have to be.”
The twitter thread went viral, gaining over 55k likes and even being reposted elsewhere
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
Image credits: RebeccaRHelm
The tweet thread went viral among several communities. While some found this thread interesting and insightful, others were still trying to counter it on Twitter with constructive and not so constructive feedback.
Regardless, the Twitter thread gained over 55,000 likes and 27,000 retweets, and even found itself on Imgur, where it was viewed by another 80,000 people.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comment section below!
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What do you think ?
Jacqueline Dartley 4 years ago
OK, another biology professor here. There is no way you could look at one chromosome in a class. To look at chromosomes you need to do a karyotype of the persons entire genome, and that takes a few weeks. (And costs $$$$$) You cannot do that in a bio lab! Impossible. Also, I have never read about the SRY gene jumping (or translocating) from a Y to another chromosome to another chromosome.
Judes 4 years ago
Here's a Nature News article about the SRY gene jumping to the X chromosome. https://www.nature.com/news/2006/061009/full/061009-14.html
Load More Replies...
Mushroom Garden 4 years ago
Okay, three things. Yes, yes, and most definitely yes! The world needs to hear this. <3
NMN 4 years ago
Sorry, but there are misconceptions and misguidances in that person's post. Lying (augmenting, embellishing and omitting information to fabricate a point) about biology is not what will bring ppl to be less prejudicial
Load More Replies...
Random Panda 4 years ago
The amount of people going ‘but intersex people means there’s no sex binary’ are so exhausting. Sex is defined via gametes which is why we define sexes for everything that has gametes. So far not a single intersex individual has been found that produces a unique third type of gamete. Instead, most of them are infertile because of hormone issues or development of the sex organs issues. In the cases where intersex people are fertile, they produce one type of gamete that fits into the known male/female specifics, re: gamete size/mobility/number. We’ve not even managed to find a intersex person who ca do both types of gametes. The X/Y definition of sex is not universal and imagine science is well aware of that and thus has ANOTHER definition that so far fits everything from plants over insects to humans. TL;DR stop conflating gender and sex and intersex conditions which come with varying degrees of medical issues are not some kind of "gotcha".
Ozacoter 4 years ago
Exactly. Intersex people exist and need to be treated kindly. But they arent a third category of sex. Our species only have two sexes xx and xy with certain individuals having developmental issues that makes them intersex. It would be like denying that humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes just because some people can have trisomies.
Load More Replies...
Ray Martin 4 years ago
It is really very easy to ascertain your own gender - it is the gender that you feel you are. As for other people, if the question arises (and most times it has no reason to) then their gender is whatever their mind tells them it is. Sexual preference is a whole other question, and has very little to do with gender identity. So if you're ever wondering about another person's gender or sexuality, just remember this; unless that information is freely offered without coercion, or is somehow life-threateningly critical to the situation at hand, then it's none of your damned business.
ProfessionalTimeWaster 4 years ago (edited)
I agree, it's nobody's damned business. It only is, when biological men start competing as women because they feel like one (it hurts women in sports) or when it becomes okay to give puberty blockers to children (it can mess them up) or when people go thru all that procedure to end up worse than when they started (they may end up worse than when they began transition) or when people get fired for not believing trans women to be women (it hurts free speech and employment opportunities).
Load More Replies...
ProfessionalTimeWaster 4 years ago
Some people have heart on the right side of the body. Some people's own immune cells attack their healthy organs. Some people grow 7+ feet high. Human body does not function 100% accurately as it's supposed to. Anomalies exist in nature. But can it be used to change definition of average or typical? Using the different biological sexes that exist to justify that the definition of typical biological men/women can be changed is disingenuous. If 1 in 100 people have 12 toes, that doesn't make 10.02 toes normal. But I agree with her live and let live - as long as it doesn't interfere with lives of others.
Caroline 4 years ago
You are not a Professional Time Waster when you speak the truth ;)
Load More Replies... NMN 4 years ago
Yes, of course, the rare cases are what define the species now.... also they forgot to mention that aside from the rarity issue, the SRY disorder leaves you sterile. The only time I suspected someone could have that disorder was a colleague that had never had her period and was 17 already. Also hormonal deficiency is not sex determinant. Would have been less misleading talking about XXYs or X0s. This person is not very sharp. With love, a Biologist.
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
Exactly. He took very rare cases and explained them as if they are common. There is only two sexes with ocasional people that have developmental problems. This does not mean in any case that people shouldnt express their gender freely. But it also doesnt mean that there are more than two sexes in our species. Signed another biologist.
Load More Replies...
NMN 4 years ago
Talking about rare disorders is complicated, just like for any other disorder or syndrome. When there are no rare conditions involved is pretty simple (unless you want the full embryogenesys and hormonal interaction explanation)
Load More Replies... Hańka 4 years ago
Demagogy... Described mutations are rare and should not be the base for generalizations. In the overwhelming majority of cases, biological sex is easy to establish. But, of course, we should be sensitive to other people
Ксения Синяговская 4 years ago
interesting fun fact: no one, like literally no one of trans people deny the existence of biological sex... For heaven sake, it is the cause of why we are that way, and why we are in that mess, and why we need medical treatment to just be ourselves.
Load More Replies...
Ozacoter 4 years ago
No. Females have vaginas males have penises with a very few individuals with different developments. Boy/girl express gender not sex.
Load More Replies... Jacqueline Dartley 4 years ago
OK, another biology professor here. There is no way you could look at one chromosome in a class. To look at chromosomes you need to do a karyotype of the persons entire genome, and that takes a few weeks. (And costs $$$$$) You cannot do that in a bio lab! Impossible. Also, I have never read about the SRY gene jumping (or translocating) from a Y to another chromosome to another chromosome.
Judes 4 years ago
Here's a Nature News article about the SRY gene jumping to the X chromosome. https://www.nature.com/news/2006/061009/full/061009-14.html
Load More Replies... Mushroom Garden 4 years ago
Okay, three things. Yes, yes, and most definitely yes! The world needs to hear this. <3
NMN 4 years ago
Sorry, but there are misconceptions and misguidances in that person's post. Lying (augmenting, embellishing and omitting information to fabricate a point) about biology is not what will bring ppl to be less prejudicial
Load More Replies... Random Panda 4 years ago
The amount of people going ‘but intersex people means there’s no sex binary’ are so exhausting. Sex is defined via gametes which is why we define sexes for everything that has gametes. So far not a single intersex individual has been found that produces a unique third type of gamete. Instead, most of them are infertile because of hormone issues or development of the sex organs issues. In the cases where intersex people are fertile, they produce one type of gamete that fits into the known male/female specifics, re: gamete size/mobility/number. We’ve not even managed to find a intersex person who ca do both types of gametes. The X/Y definition of sex is not universal and imagine science is well aware of that and thus has ANOTHER definition that so far fits everything from plants over insects to humans. TL;DR stop conflating gender and sex and intersex conditions which come with varying degrees of medical issues are not some kind of "gotcha".
Ozacoter 4 years ago
Exactly. Intersex people exist and need to be treated kindly. But they arent a third category of sex. Our species only have two sexes xx and xy with certain individuals having developmental issues that makes them intersex. It would be like denying that humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes just because some people can have trisomies.
Load More Replies... Ray Martin 4 years ago
It is really very easy to ascertain your own gender - it is the gender that you feel you are. As for other people, if the question arises (and most times it has no reason to) then their gender is whatever their mind tells them it is. Sexual preference is a whole other question, and has very little to do with gender identity. So if you're ever wondering about another person's gender or sexuality, just remember this; unless that information is freely offered without coercion, or is somehow life-threateningly critical to the situation at hand, then it's none of your damned business.
ProfessionalTimeWaster 4 years ago (edited)
I agree, it's nobody's damned business. It only is, when biological men start competing as women because they feel like one (it hurts women in sports) or when it becomes okay to give puberty blockers to children (it can mess them up) or when people go thru all that procedure to end up worse than when they started (they may end up worse than when they began transition) or when people get fired for not believing trans women to be women (it hurts free speech and employment opportunities).
Load More Replies... ProfessionalTimeWaster 4 years ago
Some people have heart on the right side of the body. Some people's own immune cells attack their healthy organs. Some people grow 7+ feet high. Human body does not function 100% accurately as it's supposed to. Anomalies exist in nature. But can it be used to change definition of average or typical? Using the different biological sexes that exist to justify that the definition of typical biological men/women can be changed is disingenuous. If 1 in 100 people have 12 toes, that doesn't make 10.02 toes normal. But I agree with her live and let live - as long as it doesn't interfere with lives of others.
Caroline 4 years ago
You are not a Professional Time Waster when you speak the truth ;)
Load More Replies... NMN 4 years ago
Yes, of course, the rare cases are what define the species now.... also they forgot to mention that aside from the rarity issue, the SRY disorder leaves you sterile. The only time I suspected someone could have that disorder was a colleague that had never had her period and was 17 already. Also hormonal deficiency is not sex determinant. Would have been less misleading talking about XXYs or X0s. This person is not very sharp. With love, a Biologist.
Ozacoter 4 years ago (edited)
Exactly. He took very rare cases and explained them as if they are common. There is only two sexes with ocasional people that have developmental problems. This does not mean in any case that people shouldnt express their gender freely. But it also doesnt mean that there are more than two sexes in our species. Signed another biologist.
Load More Replies... NMN 4 years ago
Talking about rare disorders is complicated, just like for any other disorder or syndrome. When there are no rare conditions involved is pretty simple (unless you want the full embryogenesys and hormonal interaction explanation)
Load More Replies... Hańka 4 years ago
Demagogy... Described mutations are rare and should not be the base for generalizations. In the overwhelming majority of cases, biological sex is easy to establish. But, of course, we should be sensitive to other people
Ксения Синяговская 4 years ago
interesting fun fact: no one, like literally no one of trans people deny the existence of biological sex... For heaven sake, it is the cause of why we are that way, and why we are in that mess, and why we need medical treatment to just be ourselves.
Load More Replies... Ozacoter 4 years ago
No. Females have vaginas males have penises with a very few individuals with different developments. Boy/girl express gender not sex.
Load More Replies...
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