It must be hard to be a man, especially in America, where “maleness” is defined by toughness, stoicism, and the ability to mask emotions. Having worked with firefighters for over a decade, I witnessed maleness on a grand scale.
But firefighters are a curious mix of machismo and compassion, for nowhere else do you have ultra-masculine males tasked with caring for complete strangers. I’ve seen grown men shift from verbal combat at the station to weeping over the death of a child alongside the interstate, all within a matter of moments. They’re truly special individuals.
But they are also human. Males are a complex breed.
So how does one become a male? What is this process that separates the sexes? Let’s take a look…
Each cell within the human body contains
chromosomes, which house our genetic code in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Most
cells of the body contain forty-six chromosomes. The sex cells,
however – the egg from the female and the sperm from the male – possess only twenty-three. During fertilization, the egg, which contains an X chromosome, merges with
the sperm, which contains either an X or a Y. The resultant fertilized egg,
or zygote, ends up with a chromosome from each parent. XX and the zygote
becomes a female; XY and you get a male. The Y chromosome contains a gene that
directs the cells to create testosterone, thereby guiding the development of
male sex organs. The X chromosome dictates the production of estrogen and
hence, female organs. Sounds simple, but it’s really quite complicated.Like any complex process, things can sometimes go awry. Occasionally the chromosomes don’t segregate properly prior to fertilization, resulting in an odd number of chromosomes. For example, Klinefelter’s Syndrome results in males with an extra X chromosome (XXY). These males are frequently sterile, with smaller than average testicles and larger than normal breasts.
Reproduction, like a good partnership, takes effort from both sides, but it’s the males who call the shots when it comes to the sex of the child. It’s those enthusiastic little sperm, and the X or Y tucked within them, that determine whether the squealing newborn will be a boy or a girl. If it were left up to us females, all births would be of the feminine persuasion. Males, on the other hand, are like blind gunmen: they simply fire their weapons and hope for the best.
So the next time the male in your life stumbles over his pride or masks his emotions, try some patience. Remember that he was programmed male prior to birth and is struggling against the weight of a culture that discourages tenderness. In the words of one of my favorite songs:
“I’m just
the boy inside the man, not exactly who you think I am…”
“Be
Somebody” by Thousand Foot Krutch
