Many people find themselves uncomfortable talking openly about sex, and even more uncomfortable when we are talking about sex and children, which we necessarily do when we talk about children born with DSD. Additionally, most people receive little education about sex development in humans, and this lack of understanding may add to their discomfort.
Even people who are upset upon hearing about sex anomalies can learn that sex anomalies are simply a fact of life. Human sex development is very complex, so it is not surprising that there are many variations from the typical female and typical male sex developmental pathways.
When you encounter someone who is upset to hear about DSD, it is generally best to try to calmly explain the basic facts. You might try to explain that, just like hair and lungs and kidneys vary in humans, so do the parts of us that make up our sex.
Posted in: Social Implications