These are the most common ways for a person to notice that their body is different:. Most intersex people can point to recognizable patterns in their bodies and social experiences. These patterns generally hold up across different groups of intersex people, and across medical terms for different intersex variations.
Most intersex people have been shamed because their genitals or reproductive anatomy are different. Many, but not all, experience medical pressure to change their bodies. Often this pressure starts with doctors offering parents surgeries or hormone treatments for their children. Not all intersex people have genital differences. Not all intersex people have medical diagnoses or records.
And suggesting that they should ignores the fact that intersex people have been around much longer than the medical industry we know today! A person will generally know if they have intersex traits. The clues are in bodies and past experiences, whether or not those experiences are medical.
However, many people who do have differences in their sex traits may never hear the word intersex, or may not know how broad the word can be. Some people reject the word or use other terms. The short answer is: maybe. Like any person, it depends on body parts. And sometimes, help from technology.
Making an embryo requires sperm from testes to meet an egg from an ovary. These days, there are many ways for all of that to happen, even for non-intersex people. It is not possible for any human to reproduce without another person, including with donation and medical technology!
If an intersex person has a penis and testes that make sperm, they may be able to cause a pregnancy. Some intersex people have a vulva, vagina, and internal testes.
If an intersex person has a uterus, they may be able to carry a pregnancy. If they have ovaries or ovotestes, that tissue could be used for reproduction in some cases. Some intersex people do have ovaries, a uterus, and a vagina, and could get pregnant by contact with sperm.
Fertility is different for each intersex person. Many, but not all, intersex variations do result in infertility. This is a sensitive topic. Let intersex people share at their own pace, if they choose. Welcome to the community! You are not alone. There are many intersex support groups, often on Facebook, where intersex people come together to connect. There is also InterConnect , who hosts a yearly in-person conference in the United States. See our intersex organizations page for known intersex groups in other countries.
Many other groups are private or require a referral. There are also some groups that offer spaces that are specific to medical diagnosis, e.
To find information about other groups, we recommend joining a public group first. Families need emotional and psychological support, not pressure to make decisions about surgery. It is essential to be open and honest about bodily differences with your child and family. Anything else teaches children that their bodies are shameful. The more support you can find, the better. Look for understanding providers.
Ask to be connected to other families, as well as adults who share traits with your child. Like any child, an intersex infant can be raised socially as a boy or a girl without unnecessary surgery. Decisions around surgery that is not life-saving should be delayed. Know Your Rights brochure for parents of intersex children. As long as your baby has an opening to pee from, there is no rush to make a decision.
If your doctor is recommending a surgery like a hypospadias repair, vaginoplasty, clitoroplasty, or gonadectomy that is not immediately life-saving, always ask:. Our Know Your Rights brochure for parents can help. Also see our resource explaining why the most common medical arguments for early surgery are misinformed. Surgery comes with high risks, and can seriously affect sexual function, fertility, and emotional health.
Intersex adults have asked for decades: please, let us decide. We recommend asking to speak with other parents, as well as adults who have and have not had the surgery in question. If your doctor cannot offer those contacts, you can always ask more questions. If you feel your doctor is not respecting your requests, you should seek another provider. Some kids may grow up and want to change their bodies, but still be glad the decision was theirs to make.
Many other kids and adults live with serious pain and trauma because these choices were made for them. Learned something new? FAQ: What is intersex? Last updated January 26th, These are natural worries that show your love and concern for your little one. Fortunately, there are resources. In addition to a number of firsthand accounts from people who identify as intersex, helpful resources include:.
Remember: There is no sham e in having a child with intersex traits or in being intersex yourself. Until society is completely aligned with this view, there will be some challenges ahead. But with a strong support system that includes you, your baby can thrive into adolescence and beyond. Here's what you should know about nonbinary identities, pronouns, and more. There are many different types of parenting, and your own style may be a mix of a few.
They're not all beneficial, though. Blink, and your tiny newborn of 12 months ago is suddenly reaching 1-year-old milestones you couldn't have imagined when you started this journey…. Justin Baldoni challenges men to open up about their feelings, be more vulnerable, and take an active role in their physical and mental health. Have you ever felt behind?
Like your straight, cisgender friends have more romantic or sexual experience? This may be tied to "second queer…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph. So what does intersex look like? No physical trait is inherently male or female at all. There are many different ways to be intersex. Around 1. If you've met someone who's a redhead, you've probably met someone who's intersex too. Gender, sexuality, and intersex status are all totally different things, and they can combine in really different ways.
I'm pansexual, which means that I'm potentially attracted to people of any gender, and I'm a trans man. Other intersex people might identify their body and their gender as being intersex, or might identify with any gender, including female, non-binary, or male. Sexuality is also separate from our bodies and gender identity. Intersex people can also be any sexuality, including asexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, straight, or anything else!
There are a lot of misconceptions about what being intersex is really like. These are just a few of them. Some intersex people are also transgender like me! Intersex people can be any gender, be that non-binary, a man, a woman, agender, or anything else! Calling intersex traits mental illnesses is inaccurate, and that inaccuracy hurts both mentally ill people and intersex people, and especially impacts mentally ill intersex people.
The term hermaphrodite is a slur.
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