Janey Huber (Letters, 28 October) is only partly correct when addressing the distinction between the views of Rachel Melhuish and Germaine Greer on the topic of what makes a woman. It is necessary to distinguish between “chromosomal sex” (whether an individual is male or female genetically), “phenotypic sex” (whether an individual has male or female physical characteristics), and “gender”, which is a social construct of what sex an individual is in terms of their own and others’ perceptions. In the case of complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), for instance, the individual is XY (male) chromosomally but will usually look entirely female phenotypically (physically). Normally such individuals will have been raised as girls, consider themselves female, and sometimes may only come to medical attention when they go through puberty, and have the appearance of adult women, but lack pubic/underarm hair or menstrual periods. The use of the social “gender” label of “man” or “woman” is not necessarily as clearcut as people might think.
Professor Paul Fowler
Chair in translational medical sciences, University of Aberdeen
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