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[–]VulptexVoluntaryist 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I'd say lacking male genitals and having ovaries would be notable differences.

Pretty much the only ones. Everything else is hormonal. Development triggered by hormones that is, not direct effects of them (meaning they won't reverse if the hormones stop, the hormones just signal to the body to make certain changes).

If you have a source that supports the claim that sex hormones can make a genetically female foetus develop into a male (presumably with male genitals) then do please share it.

XY people with disorders where their body doesn't respond to hormones will remain a prepubescent female their entire lives. Technically they do have undeveloped male genitals inside them, but there's no way to know without testing them. Usually this is not found out until they never go through puberty or start periods. Every other feature they have is female, because their hormones haven't changed it. Even prepubescent boys have a lot more female features than adult men. Male hormones basically trigger developmental processes off the default path and towards a more specialized one, specialized for being the best slaves for their clan, working their asses off and fighting. This only means a female can mostly become a male, doing it the other way around is not possible because there is no natural mechanism for it.

[–]Trajan 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Pretty much the only ones. Everything else is hormonal. Development triggered by hormones that is, not direct effects of them (meaning they won't reverse if the hormones stop, the hormones just signal to the body to make certain changes).

Still, pretty significant given sex organs are a somewhat defining aspect of biological sex.

XY people with disorders where their body doesn't respond to hormones will remain a prepubescent female their entire lives. Technically they do have undeveloped male genitals inside them, but there's no way to know without testing them. Usually this is not found out until they never go through puberty or start periods. Every other feature they have is female, because their hormones haven't changed it. Even prepubescent boys have a lot more female features than adult men. Male hormones basically trigger developmental processes off the default path and towards a more specialized one, specialized for being the best slaves for their clan, working their asses off and fighting. This only means a female can mostly become a male, doing it the other way around is not possible because there is no natural mechanism for it.

True, hormones certainly are very significant, and you're right that female genitals can develop in a severe absence of male sex hormones. Same for girls with conditions causing an excess of male sex hormones. The end result tends to be genetically one sex while showing characteristics of the other.

[–]VulptexVoluntaryist 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

The characteristics are what affect you though.

[–]Trajan 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

They are part of the picture. That a 20 year-old could through drugs and surgery be have characteristics of a 70 year-old doesn't make them one.