Norah van Mello
Speaker June 6, 2026: Dr. N.M. (Norah) van Mello, gynaecologist and researcher at Amsterdam UMC, specializing in gender-affirming and reproductive care
Title lecture: What defines female identity?
Abstract
Background Medical science has traditionally operated within a binary framework, where "female identity" is inextricably linked to reproductive capacity and specific anatomy. However, as a gynecologist specializing in transgender and intersex care, I observe a more complex reality. The increasing visibility of transgender and gender-diverse individuals necessitates a fundamental re-evaluation of our medical definitions. If a man can carry a pregnancy, and a woman can be born without a uterus, what then defines "female" identity?
Objective This session explores the intersection of neurobiological identity, reproductive science, and surgical outcomes to challenge and broaden the medical definition of womanhood and gender-specific care.
Key Perspectives & Research
- The Organ-Identity Paradox: Using examples from the transgender clinic, we will examine the clinical and psychological implications of providing "female-centric" care to transgender men and supporting the identity of transgender women. This highlights the necessity for all physicians to decouple an organ from a gendered expectation, and focus on the anatomic reality of a person.
- The Neuro-Anatomical Basis: We will discuss the primacy of brain-based gender identity. My work focuses on patients where this internal compass deviates from their chromosomal or gonadal sex, requiring a shift in how we approach the "biological" patient.
- Fertility and Pregnancy Beyond Women: A key focus of my expertise is fertility preservation and the desire for children among transgender persons. We will examine the effects of testosterone on reproductive organs and the clinical reality of transgender men who conceive and give birth. This demonstrates that pregnancy is no longer exclusively a female domain.
- Gender-Affirming Surgery: I will present insights into the motivations and clinical outcomes of gynecological gender-affirming procedures (e.g., hysterectomy, colpectomy), exploring why the removal of "female" organs is for some a vital step in aligning the body with the self.
Conclusion For the modern physician, "female" is no longer set in stone. By integrating neurobiological insights with the reality, we move toward a model where identity resides in the person, rather than their reproductive potential.
Societal Perspective: Human Rights Finally, this discussion cannot be seen in isolation from the current global climate. We are witnessing an era where both women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under pressure. As medical women, it is our duty to protect the autonomy of all patients over their own bodies. Recognizing the diversity of identity is not just a clinical evolution, but a fundamental stance in the fight for universal human rights and bodily self-determination.