WHAT MAKES YOU MALE?

To sum up, you become a male for several interacting reasons. First, your genes carry a Y chromosome, and this is expressed in every cell of your body. This is your genetic (or chromosomal) sex. Second, because of your genetic sex, your sex glands, or gonads, are invaded by male-directed sex cells. This is your gonadal sex. Third, the male-directed sex cells induce the gonads to secrete the male sex hormone, testosterone, which encourages the development of the male sex ducts, and another substance which causes the withering of the female sex ducts. At the same time testosterone, in its altered form of dihydrotestosterone, induces the tissues at the lower end of the unborn child to differentiate into a penis and a scrotum. These changes make your genital sex. During your life in your mother’s uterus, the circulating testosterone may have left a male ‘imprint’ on your brain cells. This means that after birth, during the vital early years, you are better able to respond positively to and copy male models. First, you copy your father, or another close male figure, and later, other male children of your own age. In humans, in contrast with other mammals, the hormonal conditioning of your brain is only of small significance, adding a flavour of maleness to your more important identification with the male model of your father (or some other male) and the recognition of your mother (or some other female) as a person of the other, complementary sex. These behavioural influences induce you to indicate, by your behaviour to others, that you are a male. This shows your male gender-role. Finally, with the continuing impact of environmental influences, with your interaction with other humans, and with your growing awareness of your male gender-role, you become self-aware of your maleness. This might be called your sexual sex. You have acquired a male gender-identity. You are indeed a man, my son!

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