9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There's a lot of misinformation out there[br]about what it means to be transgender,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but recently, scientists[br]have begun to look more closely

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
into the neurology,[br]physiology and psychology behind it.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So today, we're going to break down[br]what science does know

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in a respectful and educational way.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Hey, guys, I'm Gigi Gorgeous

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and today I'm here with AsapSCIENCE

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to break down the science of being transgender.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Before we get too deep into it,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we have to look at your <i>genetic sex</i> or the chromosomes you have.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
These were determined right at fertilization,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
when the sperm cell from your father, which carries an X or a Y chromosome,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
fused with the egg from your mother, which carries an X chromosome.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But until six or seven weeks after fertilization,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
both XY and XX embyos have identical gonads.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Around seven weeks, the male sex organs start to develop

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because of a gene on the Y chromosome called <i>SRY</i>.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It causes cells to become more specialized

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and these cells create testosterone,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which in turn triggers the development of structures like the penis and scrotum,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
while other cells block female development by degerating the female ducts.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
However, in female development,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because there is no Y chromosome with the SRY gene,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
these ducts stay intact and become the uterus, cervix,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
upper vagina and the oviduct,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
with the help of estrogen and chemicals secreted by the early kidney.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But it's not always that simple.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There are sometimes even rare combinations like XXY,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
XXX, XXYY, etcetera,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and even people with XX chromosomes that develop male genitals and characteristics,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
due to a piece of the Y chromosome breaking off and switching places to an X chromosome.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But sexual differentiation in the brain actually happens much later than gonadal differentiation.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And yes, although controversial, male and female brains

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
have structural and functional differences between each other.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Studies have found that males generally have a larger cerebrum,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
cerebellum, and hippocampus,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
while females have higher-density left frontal lobes

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and larger volumes in the right frontal lobes.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So what exactly do we see when we look at the brain of a transgender person?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Several studies have shown that transgender brains

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are both structurally and functionally more similar to their experienced gender identity

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
than their biological sex.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
One study found that trans women who, despite being assigned male at birth,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
had a smaller female-sized structure in the hypothalamus.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
MRI scans also show the brain structures of trans people

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to be more similar in thickness to their experienced gender and not their sex.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Finally, the pheromone androstadienone

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
causes different hypothalamic responses in male and female brains.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And when individuals with gender dysphoria were exposed to it,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the hypothalamic response matched their perceived gender rather than their sex.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
These studies help to highlight how masculinization or feminization of the gonads

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
is not always the same as the brain

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that there's a difference between your sex or your anatomy

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and your gender or how we perceive our own bodies.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There also seems to be a genetic component to transgender identity.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Looking at family histories, gender identity incongruence seems to run in the family,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
meaning they may be inherited.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The CYP17 gene, which control the body's level of sex hormones,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
has a changed

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that is expressed frequently in trans men.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Although more research could be done,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
scientists are currently looking at over three million DNA markers for transgender identity

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to investigate any genetic link for being trans.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Even though scientific studies validate the experience of transgender people,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
they're still suffering from more depression and anxiety

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
than the general public.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The risk of suicide is more prominent in transgender people

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
who have been rejected by their family,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
discriminated in the workplace or in health care.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Suicide risks seem to decrease after gender transitioning,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
suggesting that gender dysphoria can cause an extreme amount of emotional pain,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
even to the point of suicide.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If you, a family member or a friend is suffering from gender dysphoria,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
there are a few links in the description for more information.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Thank you so much, Gigi, for being part of this video.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It means so much, and we're happy that you were here to do this with us.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Thank you guys for using your channel, your platform,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
validating transgender experiences with science,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which just brings us closer to equality.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Absolutely. If you guys want to check out Gigi's channel, we'll put links in the description or on the screen somewhere.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Otherwise, you can subscribe for more science here, every week, and we'll see you next time.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Peace!