In developmental
biology and
zoology, defeminization is an aspect of the process of
sexual differentiation by which a potential female-specific structure, function, or behavior is changed by one of the processes of male development.
Although the term might seem to imply "removal" of female characteristics, in nearly all biological contexts it refers to ''prevention'' of an aspect of female development from manifesting.
In human
biology of gender
Sex differences in humans have been studied in a variety of fields. Sex determination occurs by the presence or absence of a Y in the 23rd pair of chromosomes in the human genome. Phenotypic sex refers to an individual's sex as determined by the ...
, the best known example of this is the prevention of development of the
müllerian duct derivatives by
anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) in the 3rd and 4th months of
fetal development, though the term is not commonly used in discussions of human development.
In a number of non-human
mammal
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s, there is evidence that hormones produced by the testes act directly on the
brain to prevent development of female characteristics, especially female
reproductive behavior.
In humans, defeminization may be triggered by loss of
estrogens or by increased
androgens. Symptoms may include
breast atrophy, loss of
gynoid fat distribution, and other physical defeminizing changes. Defeminization may occur with the
menopause, with
transmasculine hormone therapy
Masculinizing hormone therapy, also known as transmasculine hormone therapy, or female-to-male (or FTM) hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy and gender affirming therapy which is used to change the secondary sexual characteristics of tr ...
(
testosterone administration), and with administration of androgens and
anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, also known more properly as anabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS), are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone (medication), testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that are structurally related ...
s to cisgender women (e.g., for
performance enhancement or for treatment of
breast cancer).
See also
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Sexual differentiation
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Defeminization and masculinization
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Virilization
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Feminization
References
{{Reflist
Sexual anatomy
Zoology
Physiology