Intersex

An umbrella term for people born with variations in sex characteristics (chromosomes, hormones, gonads, or anatomy) that do not fit typical binary definitions. Intersex is a biological characteristic - not a gender identity or sexual orientation. Intersex people can have any gender identity or sexual orientation.

Latin inter- (between) + sexus. Replaced "hermaphrodite" (Greek myth: child of Hermes and Aphrodite). "Hermaphrodite" is now considered inaccurate and stigmatizing.

• Ancient Greece and Rome - Hippocrates and Galen viewed sex as a spectrum; Roman law recognized hermaphrodites
• 1950s - Johns Hopkins pioneered a protocol (developed by John Money) of assigning intersex infants a gender and performing "normalizing" surgeries without consent. This protocol was widely adopted and caused immense harm
• 1993 - Cheryl Chase (later Bo Laurent) published an influential challenge to nonconsensual infant surgery
• 1994 - Chase founds the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA)
• 2013 - Morgan Carpenter designs the intersex flag; released for free community use
• As of 2025, 9 UN member states ban non-vital medical interventions on intersex children

• "Intersex is the same as transgender." Intersex describes biological variation at birth; transgender describes a mismatch between gender identity and assigned sex. Entirely distinct.
• "Intersex conditions always require surgery." Most intersex variations are medically harmless. Nonconsensual infant surgery is now widely criticized and increasingly banned.
• "Being intersex means being half male and half female." Intersex encompasses dozens of distinct variations. Most intersex people identify as a man or a woman.

• Cheryl Chase / Bo Laurent (1956-) - Founded ISNA; pivotal advocate against nonconsensual surgeries
• Morgan Carpenter - Designed the intersex flag; Co-chair of Intersex Human Rights Australia
• Hanne Gaby Odiele (1987-) - Belgian model who publicly came out as intersex in 2017