The Genetics of Sex

Fortis Brown, New Mexico State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Full Length Article

Abstract

Sex is a complex biological process that begins in the womb and lasts into puberty and beyond. It is often presented to society as a binary, chromosome-based system where XX means female and XY means male. In reality, chromosomes are just the beginning of a lifelong process involving hormones that influence biological changes. This process becomes apparent with its errors, known as Differences in Sexual Development (DSDs). DSDs can be caused in two main ways: through changes in either meiosis or in gene expression. While many consider these changes as ‘errors’, the processes that cause them to have been intentionally molded by evolution to increase genetic variability in populations and enable individual adaptation throughout one’s lifespan. Our biology, including sex, was never designed to be binary and lends itself better to a spectrum. Through the study of DSDs, we can learn about the various points on this spectrum and, in turn, learn about the processes of biology and evolution as a whole.