Between+XX+and+XY：+Intersexuality+and+the+myth+of+two+sexes

BETWEEN
AND
Intersexuality
andthe Myth
ofTwoSexes
GERALDN.CALLAHAN,PH.D.

X X
XY
BETWEEN
AND
Intersexuality
andthe Myth
ofTwoSexes
GERALDN.CALLAHAN,PH.D.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Callahan, Gerald N., 1946-
Between XX and XY : intersexuality and the myth of two sexes /
Gerald N. Callahan. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-55652-785-2
ISBN-10: 1-55652-785-3
1. Intersexuality. 2. Gender identity disorders. 3. Gender identity. 4.
Andrology. I. Title.
RC883.C35 2009
616.6’94—dc22
2008040531
Interior design: Jonathan Hahn
Illustrations (unless otherwise indicated): Liv Larson Andrews
© 2009 by Gerald N. Callahan, Ph.D.
All rights reserved
First edition
Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
ISBN 978-1-55652-785-2
Printed in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1

To my wife, Gina, who makes everything possible; to my children,
Jennifer and Patrick, along with my honors students—people who
make me think about things like this book; and to Kailana Sidrandi
Alaniz, Nicky Phillips, Lisa May Stevens, and Dianne, people
who opened my eyes to the world around me.

Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction ix
1 The Puzzle of Intersex: The Story of Lenore 1
2 A Brief History of Sex 9
3 Sex Versus Reproduction: Why Are We So Married to the
Idea of Two Sexes? 33
4 Where Our Sexes Come From: The Abridged Version 47
5 Where Our Sexes Come From: The Rest of the Story 59
6 What We Do About the Ambiguous Child 115
7 Outcomes: Sex, Surgery, and Satisfaction 127
8 Alternatives: Other Cultures, Other Sexes 143
9 Choices: Exploring the Options 155
Epilogue: Untying the Knot 161
Notes 165
Glossary 175
Resources 183
Index 187

Acknowledgments
I wish to thank doctors Alice Dormurat Dreger and Joel Freder for their
critical scientific contributions to and careful reading and revision of
portions of this manuscript. I’m also grateful to Jane Dystel and Miriam
Goderich for their encouragement and essential contributions to the
development of this book. And I want to thank Cynthia Sherry and Lisa
Reardon at Chicago Review Press for their interest in and support for
what was clearly an unusual book proposal as well as for their contribu-
tions to the final draft.
vii

Introduction
One morning in the fall of 1998, Lisa May Stevens, then thirty-two
years old, methodically loaded her revolver. When she was done she
snapped the chamber into place, pushed her strawberry blonde hair
behind her ear, and snubbed the barrel of the revolver beneath her jaw.
The gun metal felt cool there, reassuring. Lisa May drew a deep breath,
let go of her demons, and pulled hard on the gun’s trigger. The chamber
rotated and brought the next shell in line with the barrel, and the ham-
mer snapped down with all the finality of a slamming door.