#chibi-piplup

Okay! This sort of question is right up my alley, so let’s break this down:

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, please remember to avoid using phrases like “female anatomy”, because, well, anatomy isn’t actually gendered, and phrases like that reify cissexist attitudes and contribute to trans and intersex erasure. I’m pretty sure your point was that this is a character capable of naturally bearing children, so I’m going to answer the question that way.

It is entirely possible that an IAFAB person might not grow breasts (for that matter, it’s entirely possible a dyadic cis woman might not grow breasts), but from the way you phrased the question I have concerns you may be looking at intersex identity much more monolithically than it actually is. You’ve specified that the character is “intersex”, but it’s not entirely clear what that means in this context. There are many, many ways to be intersex—chromosomally, hormonally, gonadally, genitally, and any combination of the above—so I can’t even begin to speculate what the differences between an intersex and a an “average” trans man would be without knowing considerably more details.

(And there’s no such thing as an “average” trans man—I assume what you’re referring to a trans man who fully transitioned after a congenital puberty, because that’s the most well-known narrative pertaining to trans men. Keep in mind also that there’s always a space in “trans man"—"transman” without a space in it is considered dehumanizing and offensive.)

But also, I’m not a doctor! (Hell, I happen to live with one, and even he wouldn’t know.) Hormonal transitions are so diverse—and intersex people are so diverse—that it’s virtually impossible to know for certain how an intersex trans man’s transition would differ from a dyadic trans man’s. Medically-transitioned trans people are inherently very distinct from each other, even before you overlay intersex identity on top of that; we all come from different backgrounds and have different genetics and histories. We don’t all start HRT at the same time (something that can make a massive difference).

Similarly, something that particularly troubles me about your question is a sense I have that you have made this character intersex solely to satisfy a desired aesthetic —that you wish for this character to be intersex solely to explain away their lack of breasts (perhaps because it’s out of character/setting availability for them to get a mastectomy?) I worry that you are perhaps less interested in genuinely exploring the nuances of intersex identity than you are looking for a convenient way for your character to satisfy your plot objectives.

And I feel I must strongly recommend against writing this character if that is the case, because there tends to be an epidemic in fiction of trans and intersex people’s bodies being objectified and caricatured to facilitate indolent and/or perverse turns of plot by dyadic and cisgender writers, and this is absolutely not quality representation, and I promise you we don’t really need any more writing like that.

If you are dead set on writing an intersex (or, for that matter, a trans man) character, I would highly, highly recommend studiously following intersex blogs and reading about the subject for a long while. This is absolutely not something you want to charge into thoughtlessly.

yeah!! like i personally dont care much for the realistic vs. unrealistic discourse bc i can see both sides, i dont mind people having a passion for genetics and realistic designs but i feel like it gets…..a little Much when people are like “the wrong genetics are one of the wrost things in wc” when its like really…..THATS what one of the worst things abt wc is….

Hi Mangle! So sorry about how long it took me to get to this. (Ur my fave animatronic btw <3)

Uuuugh, I know that song and dance though. I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble! It’s always tricky to find people kin with characters who are either non-canon or who don’t line up with popular headcanons. But don’t give up! If you remember him, then he certainly existed and he must be out there! Hang in there, friend, and good luck!