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Rick was born with male and female sex organs. Which of the following is the best term to describe Rick as a person with biological qualities of a male and a female?

1) Hermaphrodite
2) Transgender
3) Intersex
4) Androgynous

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

Rick would best be described as intersex, a term which defines individuals with mixed biological sex characteristics. The term hermaphrodite is not accurate for humans, while transgender refers to gender identity, which is different from biological sex.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rick, who was born with both male and female sex organs, would best be described biologically as intersex . The term intersex is used to describe individuals whose sex traits, reproductive anatomy, hormones, or chromosomes are different from the typical binary ways human bodies develop. This can include a mix of male and female characteristics that are sometimes recognized at birth, or may become apparent at puberty or later in life. It is important to make a distinction that being intersex is about biological characteristics, and not necessarily about a person's gender identity, which refers to one's sense of self as male, female, neither, or both, and can be different from their biological sex.

Confusingly, the term hermaphrodite is often mistakenly applied to humans with intersex conditions, but it is technically not correct for humans and is more accurately used in botany and zoology. In contrast, transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. It’s also critical to note that is distinct from biological sex and can involve a wide spectrum of identities, including non-binary. And finally, gender identity androgynous is a term that refers more to a type of gender expression that may combine both masculine and feminine traits, but does not necessarily relate to a person's biological sex characteristics.

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