Texas GOP Rep. Mocked for Not Knowing What Being 'Intersex' Means
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A Republican representative in Texas recently proved that most conservatives do not know anything about the LGBTQ+ community.
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The state House of Representatives recently voted 118-26 to approve a $337 billion budget on April 11th, 2025, but not without first trying to eliminate many amendments regarding LGBTQ+ initiatives. Proposed by Rep. Andy Hopper, one amendment aimed to eliminate state funding for the University of Texas at Austin over its LGBTQ+ programs and degree plans.
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In debating the amendment, Democratic Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons argued against Hopper until he made an embarrassing statement. This moment came to be with Simmons challenging Hopper after he began, "when you're born, you have a set of chromosomes."
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"Are you speaking about biological sex? Or are you speaking about gender? 'Cause one is scientific, one is a social construct," Simmons said, continuing, "'Cause I have a follow up question after."
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"They're one and the same, ma'am," Hopper incorrectly stated with a smirk on his face.
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"That's not true, but moving on. So, in the same vein, what about intersex individuals?" Simmons asked.
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To which Hopper responded with: "I don't even know what that means, ma'am."
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As Hopper made this admission, the people in the room responded with shock and laughter. When the noise died down, Simmons continued to debate.
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"You are not sure what intersex people are, if they exist or not, but you want to defund a program about something that you don't understand," she stated. "That's why I'm seeking clarification. ... Then again, you haven't yet answered my question about where do intersex people fall into that equation?"
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"Those intersex individuals are still XX or XY," Hopper replied incorrectly. "So, you can't change that."
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The false claim prompted Republican Rep. Valoree Swanson to tug on his sleeve and say to him quietly — but comically loud enough for the microphone to pick up — "Andy, that's not true."​​
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Simmons filed a point of order against Hopper, and after over an hour of debate, the House ultimately voted against the amendment.
Though some intersex variants still possess XX or XY chromosomes, there are many cases where different chromosome pairs are present! Below are four examples of different chromosome variations in intersex individuals!
Trisomy X (Triple X Syndrome)
People born with Triple X Syndrome are born with 47XXX chromosomes instead of the typical 46XX. If they get the additional X chromosome from their parent’s original sperm or egg cell, they will have 47XXX chromosomes in all of their cells. If the additional chromosome appears early during the embryo’s development process instead, only some cells will have 47XXX chromosomes and the person will be born with a mosaic chromosome pattern.
Turner Syndrome (XO Syndrome)
Turner Syndrome is a variation in which a person is born with a 45XO chromosome pattern instead of the usual 46XX. Turner Syndrome can also occur in combination with mosaicism, where some cells have 45X chromosomes and other cells have a different pattern, such as 46XX or 46XY. People with Turner Syndrome may have physical features such as short stature, a webbed neck and broad chest, and medical problems with their heart. They can also develop smaller-than-typical ovaries that may stop producing hormones at a younger age than typical, and they might not menstruate or experience pubertal changes.
XXYY Syndrome
People with XXYY Syndrome are born with an extra copy of both an X and Y chromosome, resulting in an 48XXYY chromosome pattern instead of the typical 46XY. People with XXYY chromosomes may have undescended testes and produce lower-than-typical amounts of testosterone, which can cause them to start puberty later than typical and to develop less pronounced secondary sex characteristics, such as muscle tone and facial hair. They often have other physical features that are similar to those developed by people with Klinefelter Syndrome (47XXY).
Klinefelter Syndrome
People with Klinefelter Syndrome develop with an extra copy of the X chromosome, resulting in a 47XXY pattern (instead of the typical 46XY). These individuals might have smaller-than-typical testes that produce lower amounts of testosterone and/or sperm, and they may start puberty later than typical (or may not go through puberty without hormone therapy). They may grow tall, may develop breast tissue, and often experience infertility. This variation often does not cause obvious physical differences, and many people do not realize they have it.