Featured Image Credit: Instagram/mrsjackieblanks
Topics: Health
James Moorhouse
A woman who is 'genetically male' has opened up about her life with the rare condition.
Jackie Blankenship was just nine when her parents explained that she wouldn't grow up in the same way as other women, as she was born intersex.
While some studies suggest that around 1.7 percent of the population live with intersex traits, the true prevalence of intersex is seen to be about 0.018 per cent, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Being intersex means a person is born with sex characteristics (such as chromosomes, hormones, and/or anatomy) that don't fit typical binary notions of male or female.
Advert
In Jackie's case, despite her being raised as a female and developing female characteristics, she was born with the male XY chromosomes and also doesn't have a uterus or ovaries.
It was a difficult realisation for Jackie when she was told she could never carry children, and it took her some time to accept her condition.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said: "It felt like I was being let in on some awful secret about myself, like there was something shameful or broken inside me.
"I remember feeling confused, alone, and like I was somehow less than other girls. It was deeply isolating.
Advert
"This wasn’t from anything with my family, they never made me feel anything but normal - it was coming from doctors and hospital visits that left me confused."
Puberty was also a confusing time for Jackie, as she didn't have any periods or grow body hair under her armpits or in her pubic area.
She had her internal testes removed at the age of 15 and later had vaginal dilation therapy at the age of 18.
Jackie, 40, now uses her social media to spread awareness of her condition, having married a man who embraced her for who she was.
She said: "I went most of my life thinking I was this one in a million case. I never want another kid to feel like I did - ashamed, confused, and alone.
Advert
"Sharing my story online has allowed me to connect with thousands of people to educate as well as so many intersex individuals who have stories just like mine.
"That’s why I do it. To educate, to empower, and to start conversations that should have happened decades ago."
Jackie and her husband were able to welcome a daughter together through a gestational carrier, and she hopes to continue educating more through her podcast and Instagram account.
She concluded: "I hope people walk away [from my videos] with a deeper understanding of how complex and beautiful human biology can be.
"I hope they rethink rigid definitions of sex and gender. But most of all, I want people to see that intersex people deserve the same dignity, autonomy, and respect as anyone else. Different doesn’t mean broken - and I’m living proof of that."