On this day we celebrate intersex people—the human race’s third biological sex. Approximately 1.7% of the human population is intersex, similar to the number of people born with red hair. Some intersex people know from birth as they have obvious physical differences, while others find out from their doctor after testing, and some do not ever figure out their intersex status.
A common misconception is that transgender folks are intersex. The term “transgender” refers to person who’s gender identity are different from the sex they were born as and they seek to change that through surgery and/or hormones. Intersex people may transition to a different sex, or they may stay intersex, and their gender identity is separate from being intersex.
Intersex features can be a combination of
- The visible anatomy–a penis, a vagina, breasts, Adam’s Apple, and testicles.
- The internal anatomy–ovaries, uterus, prostate gland.
- And/or the microscopic–hormones, and chromosomal makeup.
The word “intersex” is an umbrella term that includes people who fall between the strict definitions of male and female, and as such encompass a wide range of variations. Examples of these variations can be: a person with typical female anatomy, but having an XY chromosomal makeup that is typical of males; males that have an extra X chromosome and thus develop female features; a person that has both sets of sex organs regardless of the sex chromosomes; etc.
In the past, and also currently in many places, when an Intersex baby was/is born the doctor would recommend they choose a sex for the child—either male or female. The “extraneous parts” were surgically removed and the child recommended for possible hormone treatments as they matured, so that they would “fit” their new sex. However after decades of this practice thousands of people have come forward to reveal long-term psychological damage resulting from this type of forced transitional surgery. Therefore many medical institutions and physician associations no longer advocate or perform non-life-threatening surgeries on intersex children, and rather let them grow up naturally.
There is no one way to be intersex, in the same way that there is no one way to be male or female. But we do exist and this is the day to be aware of us. For more information please visit InterACT (https://interactadvocates.org/).
