There are three sexes in Salinas where being a pseudohermaphrodite is so common it’s accepted alongside male and female. The small village of Salinas in the Barahona Province of the southwestern part of the Dominican Republic, is like many other Caribbean hideaways.
But there is one peculiarity that sets it apart from the rest of the world.
At puberty one in 90 children born there make a natural transformation from girl to boy.
Referred to as the ‘guevedoces’ which literally translates as ‘penis at 12’ – these children are known in medical terms as ‘pseudohermaphrodite’
“I remember I used to wear a little red dress,” said Johnny who at 24 was once known as Felecitia and did not have a penis.
“I was born at home instead of in a hospital. …show more content…
“I went to school and I used to wear my skirt. I never liked to dress as a girl.
“When they bought me girls toys I never bothered playing with them. All I wanted to do was play with the boys.”
The guevedoces were uncovered by Cornell University endocrinologist Dr Julianne Imperato in the 1970s who travelled to the region to learn more about rumours that girls were morphing into boys.
And in the four decades since there have been studies, more has been learned about the perfectly natural condition.
BBC Catherine and his cousin Carla, Guevedoces in the Dominican RepublicAccepted: the Guevedoces in the Dominican Republic are formed from a rare genetic disorder
Believed to have transpired through a rare genetic disorder, the condition is caused by a missing enzyme that prevents the production the male sex hormone – dihydro-testosterone – in the womb – and creates what looks like a baby girl on birth.
It is not until puberty, when testosterone flows, their voices break and they grow a male sexual reproductive organ that they become recognised as male.
BBC presenter Dr Michael Mosley said: “I hated going through puberty; voice cracking, swinging moods, older brother laughing at me. But compared to Johnny, I had it easy.
“Guevedoces are also sometimes called “machihembras” meaning “first a woman, then a man.”
“When they’re born they look like girls with no testes and what appears to be a
But there is one peculiarity that sets it apart from the rest of the world.
At puberty one in 90 children born there make a natural transformation from girl to boy.
Referred to as the ‘guevedoces’ which literally translates as ‘penis at 12’ – these children are known in medical terms as ‘pseudohermaphrodite’
“I remember I used to wear a little red dress,” said Johnny who at 24 was once known as Felecitia and did not have a penis.
“I was born at home instead of in a hospital. …show more content…
“I went to school and I used to wear my skirt. I never liked to dress as a girl.
“When they bought me girls toys I never bothered playing with them. All I wanted to do was play with the boys.”
The guevedoces were uncovered by Cornell University endocrinologist Dr Julianne Imperato in the 1970s who travelled to the region to learn more about rumours that girls were morphing into boys.
And in the four decades since there have been studies, more has been learned about the perfectly natural condition.
BBC Catherine and his cousin Carla, Guevedoces in the Dominican RepublicAccepted: the Guevedoces in the Dominican Republic are formed from a rare genetic disorder
Believed to have transpired through a rare genetic disorder, the condition is caused by a missing enzyme that prevents the production the male sex hormone – dihydro-testosterone – in the womb – and creates what looks like a baby girl on birth.
It is not until puberty, when testosterone flows, their voices break and they grow a male sexual reproductive organ that they become recognised as male.
BBC presenter Dr Michael Mosley said: “I hated going through puberty; voice cracking, swinging moods, older brother laughing at me. But compared to Johnny, I had it easy.
“Guevedoces are also sometimes called “machihembras” meaning “first a woman, then a man.”
“When they’re born they look like girls with no testes and what appears to be a