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中間性
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導言 |
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術
語
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古希臘花瓶，繪有起舞的陰陽人
Ancient Greek vase painting of a dancing hermaphrodite
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在當前的醫學、社會-政治的討論中，現代術語“中間性” ( “intersexuality”，自拉丁語：inter:-在……之間；
sexus-性別
)已經取代了這個學術化的和富於詩意的術語“雌雄同體”(hermaphroditism)。(可是，這個傳統術語仍就用於植物學和動物生物學。)
按照古希臘的傳說，赫馬佛洛鍬忒斯
(Hermaphroditos)
是一位漂亮青年，為眾神信使赫爾墨斯(Hermes，拉丁語中稱為墨丘利，Mercury)與愛神阿芙羅狄蒂(Aphrodite，拉丁語稱為維納斯，Venus)的兒子。當赫馬佛洛鍬忒斯拒絕了甯芙女神的愛時，她的擁抱是如此充滿激情，以至於與他融為了一體。從而，從古至今，既顯露有女性也有男性身體特徵的人就被稱為兩性體
(hermaphrodite)。
另一個古代術語“陰陽人”(androgyne，自希臘語：andros-男人和gyne-女人)曾一度意謂雙性人，即一個非常強壯的由兩個身體構成的“雙重”人，一個為男人，另一個是女人。現今，只有形容詞“男女不分的”(androgynous)仍然廣泛流傳著，通常指稱在身體和面孔上具有男女混合特徵。
在我們所處的時代，神話典故對於科學研究的目的被認為太不精確，並且所涉及的醫生和人們因而都避免使用這些神話典故。這一原則也被認為適用於較古老的分類“女性假兩性陰陽人”(female pseudo-hermaphrodites)(存在著卵巢)和“男性假兩性陰陽人”(male
pseudo-hermaphrodites)(存在著睾丸)以及“真兩性陰陽人”(true hermaphrodites)(即存在著卵巢，也存在著睾丸)。這些分類曾一度被認為很實用的，但同時也證明不切實際的。現在代之以更適用的術語用法：“中間性別者”(intersexual person)、“中間性者”(intersexed person)、或簡稱為“中間性”(intersex)。
近年來，一些專家對各種各樣的中間性症狀已經提出了一個新術語：“性發育失調(Disorders
of Sex Development ，DSD)”。不過，其他專家認為這個術語是一個負面的標籤，而且不會有益於防止歧視。因而，他們寧願選擇中立的、較少有汙名化的表達，即“性發育變異(Variations
of Sex Development，VSD)”或“性發育差異(Differences of Sex Development)”。後一個術語甚至可能會附和縮寫DSD，但是可能會讓更多人接受這個含意。
現代的科學研究已經表明，中間性是一個致病的程度問題，涵蓋著範圍很廣的身體發育畸形的性象譜系，其致病原因多種多樣。所以，單一的學科研究並不適合於解決所有的病例。只有通過對每一個病例進行徹底的體格檢查和細緻的斟酌才能夠找到對症下藥的良方。 |
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Intersexuality - Introduction |
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Terms
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In the current
medical and socio-political
discussion, the modern term “intersexuality” (from lat. inter: between and sexus: sex) has replaced the learned, and more poetic term “hermaphroditism”. (However, this traditional term is still being used in plant and animal biology.)
According to an ancient Greek legend,
Hermaphroditos was a beautiful young man, the son of the messenger god
Hermes (lat.
Mercury) and the love goddess
Aphrodite (lat.
Venus). When he rejected the love of a nymph, she embraced him so passionately, that her body merged with his. Accordingly, from ancient to modern times, a person showing both female and male physical characteristics was called a
hermaphrodite.
Another ancient term “androgyne” (from gr. andros: man and gyne: woman) once meant a double-sexed person, i.e. a very strong “double” creature composed of two bodies, one male and the other female. Today, only the adjective “androgynous” still enjoys wider currency, usually in reference to bodies and faces that combine male and female features.
In our time, mythological allusions are considered too imprecise for scientific purposes, and both the doctors and the persons concerned therefore avoid them. This also goes for the older distinctions between so-called “female pseudo-hermaphrodites” (ovaries present), “male pseudo-hermaphrodites” (testicles present) and “true hermaphrodites” (both ovarian and testicular tissue present). These distinctions were once considered useful, but have, in the meantime, proved impractical. Instead, one now uses the more general term “intersexual person”, “intersexed person”, or “intersex”, for short.
Recently some experts have suggested a new term for the various intersexual conditions: “Disorders of Sex Development (DSD)”. However, others believe that this is a negative label and not helpful in preventing discrimination. Therefore, they prefer the neutral, less stigmatizing expressions “Variations of Sex Development (VSD)” or “Differences of Sex Development”. This latter term would even preserve the abbreviation
DSD, but would give it a more widely accepted meaning.
Modern research has shown us that
Intersexuality is matter of degree, covering a wide spectrum of atypical physical developments with a variety of possible causes. Therefore, no single approach fits all cases. Only a very thorough examination and careful deliberation can show the way to the necessary individual course of action in each case. |
