Intersex - Jackson

• Cultuurwetenschappen
• WO
• Studiejaar 2

Definition

According to the UN Office for the Commissioner of Human Rights 'intersex' is an:
“umbrella term used to describe a wide range of innate bodily variations in sex characteristics. Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions for male or female bodies, including sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns, and/or chromosome patterns.”

 

Monro, S., et al. (2021). Intersex: Cultural and social perspectives. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 23(4), 431–440.

Terms, interpretations, and implications

• Medical professionals:

- disorders of sex development (DSD)
- differences of sex development (dsd)

• Legal experts:
  - variations of sex characteristics (VSC)
• Other scholars and activists:
  - intersex

Monro, S., et al. (2021). Intersex: Cultural and social perspectives. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 23(4), 431–440.

Why Intersex?

• escapes pathologization (unlike DSD and dsd)
• less ambiguous in terms of being innate/acquired (than VSC)

Monro, S., et al. (2021). Intersex: Cultural and social perspectives. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 23(4), 431–440.

Intersex and Gender Identity

• 'endosex'
• sex assigned at birth
• medical interventions
• cisgender
• transgender

Price, M.N., Green, A.E, DeChants, J.P, & Davis, C.K. (2021).The mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth who are intersex. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.

Intersex and Gender Identity: Research

• ages 13-24
• LGBTQIA+ residents of the US
• n (total) = 34.759
• n (intersex) = 1.132 = 3%
• 47% vs. 58% 

Price, M.N., Green, A.E, DeChants, J.P, & Davis, C.K. (2021).The mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth who are intersex. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.

Intersex and Intersectionality

• gender identity
• sexual orientation
• ethnicity/race 
• 49% youth of colour

Price, M.N., Green, A.E, DeChants, J.P, & Davis, C.K. (2021).The mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth who are intersex. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.

Risk factors

• discrimination based on gender identity/sexual orientation
  - transgender/nonbinary intersex youth: 73%
  - cisgender intersex youth: 50%
• dating violence
  - intersex youth of colour: 24%
  -  White intersex youth: 13%
  - transgender/nonbinary intersex youth: 21%
  - cisgender intersex youth: 13%

Price, M.N., Green, A.E, DeChants, J.P, & Davis, C.K. (2021).The mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth who are intersex. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.

Protective factors

• accepting parent in terms of gender identity and/or sexual orientation
  - no significant differences by race/ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity

Price, M.N., Green, A.E, DeChants, J.P, & Davis, C.K. (2021).The mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth who are intersex. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.

Limitations

• other intersecting identities are left out
• (lack of) access to healthcare isn't discussed (gender-affirming care)

Price, M.N., Green, A.E, DeChants, J.P, & Davis, C.K. (2021).The mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth who are intersex. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.