How man born with both male and female genitals only found out when he was 50 years old
An Australian farmer who was born intersex has shared his theories about why he may have the condition, while also revealing how he found out the truth at 50 years old.
Rob Wilson, a poultry farmer from Australia, was born with both male and female genitalia, but doctors made the decision when he was just three days old that he would be ‘male’.
Recalling the situation on ABC, Rob explained: “The doctors decided, because I peed out of a penis, that I’d be made a boy. They just sewed up my vagina, leaving me with six stitches.”
Following the procedure, Rob lived his life as a typical Aussie man; however, his life wasn’t without hardships, with his own mother having questioned their relationship after learning of his condition.
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“I don’t know how you’re my child, how God would give me a child like that,” he remembered her saying.
He was also prescribed daily testosterone supplements from the age of eight, which led to a raft of health problems – and even saw his schooling suffer after being ridiculed by a Christian Brother.
Rob’s own brothers also struggled to accept his condition, with one of his brothers once remarking, “You’re half like me and half like our sister.”
Learning the truth
Despite feeling different for most of his life, it wasn’t until Rob was in his mid-50s that he finally realised the truth about his genetic makeup.
The discovery came to light when his dying aunt broke the news.
“She rang me up and said, ‘You’d better come and see me, I’ve got some information you need'," he recalled.
It was then that she revealed Rob had been born with a rare chromosomal condition called 48 XXXY, something which affects between one in 17,000 and one in 50,000 males worldwide.
After learning the truth, suddenly everything began to make more sense for Rob, who now believes that the pain he had been suffering while working with road crews in the past had actually been his body undergoing a ‘period’.
He also believes that his high iron levels could be due to reabsorbed period blood that had no means of escaping his body following his childhood surgery.
Could WWII be to blame?
Although no reason has been given for why Rob was born with the condition, he himself believes it may have something to do with the experience his father endured during World War 2.
During the conflict, his father was reportedly captured and became a German prisoner of war, and while in Nazi custody underwent experimentation that saw him ‘injected with stuff’.
Sharing his theory, Rob explained: “Whether that was something they was experimenting with or not, I don’t really know,” Wilson said.
Since making the discovery about his sex, Rob has spent the past 14 years travelling to Ukraine in order to undergo treatment that isn’t legally allowed to take place in his native Australia.
Looking forward
His current treatment plan includes a daily contraceptive pill, human growth hormone, and a testosterone suppressant to allow him to live more comfortably – something which is critical, as Ukrainian medics discovered he is biologically more female than male.
Since embracing his true identity, Rob has also made a point of travelling around the world giving talks at universities to raise awareness of Intersex conditions.
Discussing how passionately he feels about the topic, Rob added:” I hope the next poor b****r like me gets a better run than I did.
“And unless the likes of me get it out there, it’s going to keep happening.”
Phoebe Tonks