Peter O'Brien has written an article, "The Most Absurd Trans-gression Yet". It is headed by two photographs of the article's subject showing how NBC has airbrushed HIM in an attempt to make him look more feminine.

The HIM is an American calling himself Lia Thomas. No real first name mentioned: perhaps it was John:).

Mister Thomas, a U.S. swimmer, claims to be a woman, but appears to retain his male genitalia, and still dates women - making him a lesbian?

Thomas couldn't make the grade as a male swimmer, so he is now swimming against real women.

Absurd indeed. But who is to blame: Thomas or the rule- makers and officials who allow him to get away with this nonsense.

Quoting GrahamY...
To suggest we are neither male nor female for the first 6 weeks is just wrong.

I said....We are all conceived as female.
At about six weeks?, approximately half of the foetuses switch to being male.

So for the first six weeks we are female.
I am not quite sure if it was six weeks or six days, so I put a question mark.
But I have read that this the way it happens on several occasions over the past years.
If what I read was wrong or misleading, so be it.
I will find the correct sequence, and re-educate myself. ^_^
Thank you for drawing it to my attention.

Graham Y- I remember one doctor promoted the notion that children were a blank slate till 5 years old- I'm satisfied that both these doctors and Ipso Fatso have toned down their ideas- but there are still some blank slatists around. Good point on the XX, XY. Kudos.

Thanks Ipso Fatso for acknowledging that Males and Females should work together- sadly this can't really happen in the current legal environment.

This 'Lia' (real name unknown) Thomas person isn't much good good against real women swimmers either, tying for 5th. place in a U.S. 200 metre competition recently.

Just to lighten things up:

Why do men have nipples?

So they can have the breast of both worlds.

These are my (new) conjectures....

We need to remember we are two things.
An intelligence (brain/mind) and a support system to go with it. (body)

The brain runs a programme like a computer does, and can make us either male or female in outlook?
However, the developing foetus will be female, unless otherwise instructed?
I am sure it starts as female because of practicalities surrounding growth.
If you want to know exactly why, you must write and ask mother nature.

All 'instructions' for development of the foetus exist in coded form.
Any minor error in code can introduce variations to a desired outcome.
The brain is set to male or female at conception?
If the brain is to be male, the developing foetus will get a 'shot' of testosterone at about six weeks?
This will signal the necessary changes to body 'architecture'.

I see the nipples remain, so that men can have the breast of both worlds.
Thank you Foxy for that pearl of wisdom.

Generally speaking, people's bodies and minds are matched.
But errors in code can produce variations.
Errors can also affect the healthy development and subsequent physical ability of the person.
People with variations are, nonetheless, still real people.
We should never treat them badly because they suffer an uncalled for difference.

So 'the outlook' of the brain is set at conception?
The (developing) body is female for about six weeks, then a change can occur?
Due to coding errors, this does not always happen when it should.
So the body is not always a match for the brain?
This leads to a different standard for sexual activity.

Now I need to read up on stuff, to find out if my conjectures are correct.