Transgender Forum readers are likely to encounter skeletons later this month, out and about as well as in the cemetary. Skeletons, like living people, have sexual characteristics -- so if you want to avoid the embarassing misuse of pronouns on Halloween, this Transgender Forum guide to sex and the skeleton is for you.
The science of determining the sex, age, race, and physical characteristics of the skeleton is called Forensic Anthropology. Perhaps a hundred qualified experts are practicing in the United States, assisting police agencies in identifying homicide victims, characterizing decomposed bodies, and in handling disasters. Generally they examine the remains and develop a general description which is then matched against missing person files. Once they have a lead, positive confirmation is accomplished using dental records, X-rays, or DNA comparison. Sometimes when they can't match the description to a known missing person, they can create a bust of the head by placing carefully measured strips of clay over the scull and exhibit the result to the public.
Sex diferences are most pronounced in the skull, pelvis, and long bones of the arms and legs.
The male skull is larger, has pronouced ridges over the eye sockets, heavier cheek bones, and the jaw is heavier and square.
A woman's pelvis is proportionally broader, with a larger interior cavity for the womb.
The bones of the arms and legs are larger for males, and have more pronounced attachment points for the muscles. For most gross dimensions, a female's bones will be 92% the size of a male's.
Formal sex determinations are made by carefully measuring a variety of dimensions. Each result is multiplied by a weighting factor and is added to a grand score. If this score is below a certain number you have a female, above a certain number, a male, and in-between is indeterminate. The are similar formula for calculating age, race, and for women, the number of children they have had.
The mathematic method is called a discriminate function, and mirrors the natural process that human beings use to make judgements based on multiple observations. When the entire skeleton is present, accuracy can approach 100%. Special formula exist for imcomplete skeletons and for individual bones, which are less accurate.
When cross-dressing to appear as a living woman, you can improve your presentation by applying contoured make-up to de-emphasize the masculine features of the head, particularly the ridges above the eyes and the shape of the cheeks and jaw. The broader pelvis can be simulated using hip pads.
Plastic surgery can alter your profile as well - typically the brow ridge is reduced in size, the forehead can be smoothed-over, cheek implants can be added, and the jaw size reduced. This can cost from between $10,000 to $50,000 and has a dramatic effect.
Death investigation textbooks mention the possibility of finding a cross-dressed skeleton and caution against jumping to conclusions as to the sex of the subject based on clothing alone. Tragically, several of the transgender homicide victims mentioned on the "Remembering Our Dead" web site remain unidentified.
Halloween is our culture's time for coping with our deepest fears with humor and good cheer. This year we need to do this more than ever. Have fun, be safe, and mark your calendar for the Day of Rememberance on November 28, 2001.