Quote:
Originally Posted by sesame
I say wise-girl this sounds a little contradictory.
Since we know that sex is determined during the union of sperm and ovum. As the cellulor nuclei combine and fuse their genetic content during zygote formation, sex is determined by the type of chromosome in the donated sperm.
If the sperm is Y type, then the resulting cell will become XY (as the egg is always X) and a male baby will ensue.
If on the other scenario, the sperm is X type, the baby will be female or XX.
The rest of the nine months of pregnancy is just duplication of the same cell bearing the same resulting gene to form the millions of cells that construct this body. Although cells take up different functions and form different tissues and ultimately the various organs, etc. Brain cells, heart cells, bone cells, muscle cells and so on. 
My point is sex is NOT determined after brain development, it is done immediately after the fusion of the sperm and ovum.  |
At it's most simple, yes. But XX/XY are not the only chromosome combinations, XXY and XYX for example, an estimated 20% of the population does not have a tidy XX/XY chromosome combination.
Even so, what I was talking about was called "estrogenation". The foetus, developing as normal, will sometimes be exposed to higher than normal levels of estrogen. The theory is this affects the way the foetal brain develops since this. Extreem estrogenation is thought to be one of the reasons for intersex births (children born with "ambiguous genitalia" or rarely hermaphrodytism). Perhaps a less extreem change in the hormonal soup that surrounds a developing foetus would cause the conditions that lead to Gender Identiy Disorder or Gender Dysphoria.
Good conversation.. I like this