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Resources and links for female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to the cutting of any part of the female genitalia for cultural, religious or non-medical reason. Like other pain causing conditions, FGM may cause or contribute to problems with vaginismus and/or may cause other barriers to achieving normal, pleasurable intercourse.
www.irinnews.org/IndepthMain.aspx?IndepthId=15&ReportId=62462
AIS also known as Testicular Feminization Syndrome
XY-females with AIS have male (XY) sex chromosomes and internal (abdominal) testes, and no ovaries, uterus or upper vagina, but are otherwise female in body form and (almost invariably) gender identity. AIS is an intersex condition and these babies would have developed in utero as boys if a mutation, received from one of their mother's X chromosomes, had not rendered their body tissues insensitive to androgens (male hormones, such as testosterone). Many AIS girls have no reason to doubt their apparent female anatomy and physiology until they fail to menstruate and medical advice is sought. Others are diagnosed in infancy/childhood.
Intersex was subject to secrecy and taboo until the early-mid 1990s when patient support/advocacy groups came into being (helped by the internet and more openness about sex because of HIV/AIDS) and campaigned for truth disclosure with psychological support.
Other XY-female conditions (Swyer's Syndrome, 5-alpha-reductase deficiency, Leydig Cell Hypoplasia and so on) have slightly different causes and manifestations with respect to body hair, uterus (present in Swyer's) and so on, but present the same dilemmas in psycho-social terms. There are also some XX-female non-intersex conditions, like Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, Mullerian dysgenesis/aplasia and vaginal atresia, that share some features with AIS such as an un(der)developed vagina.
Worldwide support group organization, originating in the UK, providing information/support to adults and families affected by AIS - androgen insensitivity syndrome (old name testicular feminization syndrome or testicular feminisation syndrome) - and similar conditions.
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