Lately, I have had a lot of questions about my gender identity. I was recently diagnosed with MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser Syndrome) and it has caused me to question my gender. When I was 15 years old, they put me on testosterone, which made me feel like a male going through puberty. Then they switched me to the birth control pill. Could the different hormones play a role in why I am questioning my gender?

Great question, you are not alone! It is very common for young people to have a lot of questions and experience a wide variety of emotions, after receiving an MRKH diagnosis. MRKH effects your reproductive tract, causing the vagina and or uterus to be under developed. The under development is caused by a congenital defect, meaning it happened during development and presented birth. Although MRKH effects the physical structure of the vagina and uterus, it does not affect the chromosomes (aka your DNA), meaning you have female chromosomes. If it eases your mind, you can ask your doctor to order a special blood test. The blood test will confirm that you are genetically female and carry the 46XX chromosomes.

Testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are the three major hormones made by the ovaries. Hormones can be made naturally by your body or synthetically through medicines like the pill! However, regardless of how you get the hormones, taking them doesn’t impact your gender identity. Finally, it’s important to mention that no one can tell you the following: who you are, who you’re meant to be, or who you should be. That decision is up to you.