Man Discovers At 50 He Was Born With Both Male And Female Genitals — And Shares His Shocking Theory Why

An Australian poultry farmer who was born intersex has opened up about how he discovered the truth about his condition at age 50 — and why he believes it might have happened. His story has shed light on a condition often misunderstood and rarely discussed publicly.

Rob Wilson, who lives in rural Australia, was born with both male and female genitalia. Doctors made a life-altering decision just three days after his birth, choosing to raise him as male without his consent or understanding of what that meant.

Speaking to ABC about the experience, Rob recalled what doctors did to him as an infant: "The doctors decided, because I peed out of a penis, that I'd be made a boy. They just sewed up my vagina, leaving me with six stitches."

After the surgery, Rob grew up living as a boy and later as a man, never suspecting that he was different from others. Still, his life was far from easy. He faced judgment and pain from those closest to him once the truth began to surface years later.

He remembered how his mother struggled to accept what had happened and how it affected their relationship. "I don't know how you're my child, how God would give me a child like that," he recalled her saying, a comment that stayed with him for life.

From just eight years old, Rob was prescribed daily testosterone treatments. The medication caused health complications that followed him for decades, and even as a child, he endured ridicule — especially from a Christian Brother at school who humiliated him in front of classmates.

Rob recalled how doctors decided he was biologically more male at birth ABC Australia

Rob’s siblings also had difficulty accepting his situation. He remembers one brother making a cruel remark that left a deep mark on him: "You're half like me and half like our sister."

Learning the truth

Although Rob had always sensed something different about his body, he didn’t learn the full truth until he reached his mid-50s. That life-changing moment came when a dying relative decided it was finally time to tell him everything.

His aunt, who had been holding on to the secret for decades, called him unexpectedly to share what she knew. "She rang me up and said, 'You'd better come and see me, I've got some information you need'," Rob remembered, describing the emotional moment that changed his life forever.

During that conversation, she told him that he had been born with an extremely rare chromosomal condition known as 48 XXXY. The disorder, which affects roughly one in every 17,000 to 50,000 males worldwide, causes an additional set of X chromosomes — leading to traits of both sexes.

After hearing the truth, many puzzling experiences from Rob’s past began to make sense. He now believes that the severe abdominal pain he experienced years earlier while working on road crews may actually have been his body going through what he describes as a “period.”

He also suspects that his unusually high iron levels could have been the result of menstrual blood being reabsorbed internally after his childhood operation sealed off natural pathways. For Rob, it was a revelation that finally helped him connect the dots between his lifelong health struggles and his biology.

ABC

Could WWII be to blame?

While no medical explanation has ever been confirmed for why Rob was born intersex, he has developed his own personal theory. He believes the answer might be linked to what his father endured during World War II.

His father was captured by Nazi forces and became a prisoner of war. During his time in captivity, Rob says his father was subjected to medical testing and forced injections that were never fully explained.

Sharing his theory, Rob said: "Whether that was something they was experimenting with or not, I don't really know,"

Since discovering his true condition, Rob has dedicated more than a decade to seeking medical care and answers. For the past 14 years, he has traveled regularly to Ukraine to receive specialized treatments that are not legally available in Australia, hoping to live more comfortably with his intersex identity.

Rob has been travelling to Ukraine for the past 14 years to receive hormone treatments ABC Australia

Looking forward

Rob’s current treatment plan includes a daily contraceptive pill, human growth hormone therapy, and a testosterone suppressant. These treatments help balance his hormones and ease symptoms that once made daily life difficult. Doctors in Ukraine determined that, biologically, Rob is more female than male — a finding that gave him clarity after years of confusion.

Fully embracing his identity, Rob has turned his experience into advocacy. He now travels internationally, speaking at universities and events to raise awareness about intersex people and the challenges they face growing up misunderstood or misdiagnosed.

Expressing how strongly he feels about the cause, Rob said: " I hope the next poor b****r like me gets a better run than I did."

"And unless the likes of me get it out there, it's going to keep happening."