An intersex woman who was born 'genetically male' says trolls still call her a "man" and claim she "hoodwinked" her husband. "

Jackie Blankenship, 40, was diagnosed with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) when she was aged four.

It means she developed externally as female but doesn't have a uterus or ovaries and was born with internal testes.

Jackie was aged nine when she was told she was different and had XY chromosomes - which means she is genetically male - but didn't fully understand what this meant until she was in her 30s.

The mum-of-one can't have periods, had her 'testes' removed aged 15 and underwent vaginal dilation so she could have sex.

Jackie, a radio personality, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, said: "I don't grow any body hair or public hair."

"I don't have a period - don't have ovaries or uterus."

"I was born with XY chromosomes."

"It never occurred to me growing up that someone wouldn't like me because of this."

"I am a female - this is the only body I know."

Jackie was diagnosed with CAIS when relatives advised her parents get a blood test for their daughter - as other members of the family also have the syndrome.

There was nothing visible when Jackie was born to suggest anything was different - as she appears externally female.

She was told when she was nine she "wouldn't develop like her sisters"."

Jackie said: "I took it well I think. I didn't understand the impact it would have on me."

"I never really asked questions."

"Doctors told my parents we wouldn't want to tell anyone. "

"They really scared, my mum and dad. There was a lot of fear and secrecy around it."

"I was ashamed of it because I was being told that."

As she got older and her friends started to go through puberty, Jackie started to notice the differences more.

She said: "Everyone was so stressed about having a period and where and when it would happen."

"I felt relieved. I didn't understand why women have periods - I didn't get it."

Jackie had surgery aged 15 to remove the testes - as a precaution as they believed it could put her at a higher risk of cancer.

At aged 18 Jackie was told she would need vaginal dilation therapy or surgery if she wanted to have sexual intercourse.

She said: "I was born with a blind pouch - my vagina doesn't have a cervix - instead it's like a little pouch."

"Some women have an almost fully formed vagina but many of us have an inch of depth."

"You need to have either a surgery or go through dilatation therapy."

"You dilate at home to create a vaginal canal."

She went through a year of therapy and says it was "traumatic"."

Jackie said: "I didn't know what kind of sex I would be having."

"I didn't know what I wanted in that department."

"I felt a lot of pressure to be ready."

"I felt like I had to commit."

"The only thing we were worrying about was normalising my body for a male."

"I was told my partner will never know the difference."

"It was very triggering for me - what about me? Is it going to hurt?"

"The only goal was to be as normal as you can."

Jackie now can have sex but says she has to stay sexually active as otherwise her canal would go back to how it was.

She was able to have a daughter, Greenleigh, nine, with her husband, Jim Blankenship, 37, who works in cyber security, after her sister, Danielle Martin, 38, offered to be her gestational carrier.

Jackie said: "It was the best way to be a part of the experience."

"I went to all the appointments."

Jackie remembers looking into CAIS when she was in her early 20s but the answers were very "clinical"."

She said: "It made me feel I wasn't a girl anymore."

"I put it out of my mind. I didn't really face it until I was in my 30s."

Now she wants to help others understand what being intersex means - and has a podcast where she interviews different intersex people.

She gets mostly positive comments but does get people who don't understand.

Jackie said: "I was more afraid of women knowing - I didn't want them to pick on me for being a boy."

"I think for me it took age and maturity to talk really candidly - I needed to be prepared for comments."

"I get comments that I'm hoodwinking my husband."

"I get comments that I'm a man."

"They don't understand it. We are taught so little about how our bodies work. We're only told black and white of male and female."

"For the most part people are very intrigued."