Puberty Turns Girls Into Boys At This Dominican Republic Village

A rare genetic disorder turns some girls into boys at puberty in a remote village in the Dominican Republic.

According to Newser, some girls born in the village of Salinas grow penises and develop deeper voices as they age towards puberty. The disorder is said to be so common that it is not consider a disorder anymore. Such people are collectively referred to as 'guevedoces' that literally means 'penis at 12'.

Gender kicks in when a fetus turns eight weeks. The hormone dihydro-testosterone is produced in large amounts in fetuses that have inherited the Y-chromosome. This causes a small bump between the legs, called the tubercle, to transform into a penis. In female fetuses, the tubercle turns into a clitoris.

In guevedoces who are genetically male, however, the hormone surge is not triggered, causing them to be born female. They are born with what appears to be a vagina but may not have traits of a female child. Many prefer playing with boys, comfortable wearing male clothing and want to keep their hair short. At puberty the second testosterone surge happens and brings about the transformation to manhood.

The disorder was first discovered by a Cornell University endocrinologist Dr. Julianne Imperato. She published a study detailing how deficiency of an enzyme called 5-α-reductase that triggers the hormone surge causes the disorder. Blocking of the enzyme is one of the treatment options for prostate enlargement and male pattern baldness, according to The Telegraph.