The Doctor's Sex
Apr. 13th, 2015 10:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreamer_easy(x-posted from Gallifrey Base)
In lieu of what I'm supposed to be writing, here are ten little-known facts about Gallifreyan biological sex. (The Doctor's gender appears to be masculine - but with an alien, who can be sure?)
1. Gallifreyans are reproductively identical to humans. Therefore, while most are either male or female, 1-2% have characteristics of both biological sexes. The Doctor is one of these intersex Gallifreyans, chromosomally female, but with a recessive gene that makes him phenotypically male.
2. Ordinary Gallifreyans are hermaphrodites. On graduation from the Academy, Time Lords (due to a tradition whose reason is long lost) are required to select a single sex.
3. Gallifreyans have a haplodiploid sex determination system, like ants and bees. Due to this, almost all children are boys. In fact, girls are so rare that they're outnumbered by the female regenerations of male Time Lords.
4. The copy of the Doctor created by the Human-Time Lord Meta-Crisis is female from the waist down.
5. On graduation from the Academy, Time Lords are bestowed with the full reproductive powers of both sexes. Their ambisexuality is not obvious to humans, however, since their reproduction is as different from ours as ours is from that of mushrooms.
6. Time Lords alternate fertile and sterile generations. The Doctor adopted his sister's son, who in turn adopted Susan.
7. Two of the incarnations of the Doctor we've seen so far were female, but (mostly) maintained male disguise. Three companions are aware of this.
8. Both male and female Gallifreyans are capable of lactation. Thus, some of the Time Ladies we've seen are in fact able to both beget and nurse children.
9. Male and female Gallifreyan external genitalia are identical.
10. It requires the full cooperation of five Gallifreyans to produce a child: two fathers, two mothers (only one of whom contributes genetic material), and a qualified scientist.
Any questions?
In lieu of what I'm supposed to be writing, here are ten little-known facts about Gallifreyan biological sex. (The Doctor's gender appears to be masculine - but with an alien, who can be sure?)
1. Gallifreyans are reproductively identical to humans. Therefore, while most are either male or female, 1-2% have characteristics of both biological sexes. The Doctor is one of these intersex Gallifreyans, chromosomally female, but with a recessive gene that makes him phenotypically male.
2. Ordinary Gallifreyans are hermaphrodites. On graduation from the Academy, Time Lords (due to a tradition whose reason is long lost) are required to select a single sex.
3. Gallifreyans have a haplodiploid sex determination system, like ants and bees. Due to this, almost all children are boys. In fact, girls are so rare that they're outnumbered by the female regenerations of male Time Lords.
4. The copy of the Doctor created by the Human-Time Lord Meta-Crisis is female from the waist down.
5. On graduation from the Academy, Time Lords are bestowed with the full reproductive powers of both sexes. Their ambisexuality is not obvious to humans, however, since their reproduction is as different from ours as ours is from that of mushrooms.
6. Time Lords alternate fertile and sterile generations. The Doctor adopted his sister's son, who in turn adopted Susan.
7. Two of the incarnations of the Doctor we've seen so far were female, but (mostly) maintained male disguise. Three companions are aware of this.
8. Both male and female Gallifreyans are capable of lactation. Thus, some of the Time Ladies we've seen are in fact able to both beget and nurse children.
9. Male and female Gallifreyan external genitalia are identical.
10. It requires the full cooperation of five Gallifreyans to produce a child: two fathers, two mothers (only one of whom contributes genetic material), and a qualified scientist.
Any questions?
