First Things First: What is a Hermaphrodite?

I remember when I was in the 5th grade someone called me a Hermaphrodite in an effort to insult me and I had no idea what it meant, or what he was calling me. I laughed it off with the rest of the kids on the playground and thought nothing else of it. The person who called me a Hermaphrodite was a friend who was mad at me for some reason I can't remember just now, and I don't think even he knew the meaning of the word at the time. Of course I know the meaning now, but I am sure that there are some people out there that are quite unaware of the true meaning of the word so I shall define it as best as I can.

If we take a look at some of the creatures around us we will see that many species have a predisposition to hermaphroditic body structure or tendencies. It is most common in species of fish, less common in invertebrates, and even less common in vertebrates. In animal species it is inconceivable, if not impossible, for a hermaphrodite to impregnate itself; but in humans it is possible, yet unlikely. There have been rare cases in which the Sperm and Ova can allow conception in the parent body, but complications will arise as the DNA will be identical in both samples.

So, hypothetically, if Ciara were a hermaphrodite she could impregnate herself with her male organ, and we could have little "Ciara Clones" running down the red carpet in the future. Although this is unlikely, we can't rule it out completely!

In nature their are several classifications of Hermaphrodites. We won't cover these in detail but I shall offer a brief description of each.

The picture below is of the "Reclining Hermaphrodite"
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:RecliningHermaphrodite.jpg










Case 1. Simultaneous Hermaphrodites:

This is when an organism has both male and female reproductive organs at the same time. This is commonly seen in Hamlets, Earthworms, and Banana Slugs.

Case 2. Sequential Hermaphrodites:

This is when an organism is born as one sex and then transitions into the other sex at a later point in life. This type of Hermaphrodite will exist SOLELY as one sex and cannot exist as both.


Case 3. Gonadal Dysgenesis:

Gonadal dysgenesis is a type of intersexuality formerly known as "true hermaphroditism". It occurs in about one percent of mammals including humans, but it is extremely rare for both sets of organs to be functional; usually neither set is functional. In humans, these manifestations are often altered (sometimes only cosmetically) to resemble standard male or female anatomy shortly after birth. (Reference: Wikipedia Hermaphrodite article)

Ok, so there is a brief summation of what the word Hermaphrodite actually means. Now we need to examine Ciara and she if she meets the criteria! I tried to contact her publicist about this issue and she declined comment, DAMN! I then contacted her agent who told me to "Suck It" (which I thought was inappropriate due to the subject matter), so I have decided to begin this odyssey on my own. We shall now leave the world of solid fact and begin on the path of shadowy truths, assumption, and murky lies. I beg patience as this will most likely be a grueling investigation...we shall find out the truth, no matter the cost!