An umbrella term for people born with variations in sex characteristics (chromosomes, hormones, gonads, or anatomy) that do not fit typical binary definitions.
Definition
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.
Flag
Intersex flag
· Designer: Morgan Carpenter, InterAction for Health and Human Rights (formerly Intersex Human Rights Australia)
· July 5, 2013
Carpenter deliberately avoided blue and pink as they carry binary gender associations.
Latin inter- (between) + sexus. Replaced "hermaphrodite" (Greek myth: child of Hermes and Aphrodite). "Hermaphrodite" is now considered inaccurate and stigmatizing.
History
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
Common myths
"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.
Notable people
Cheryl Chase / Bo Laurent (1956-) - Founded ISNA; pivotal advocate against nonconsensual surgeries
Morgan Carpenter - Designed the intersex flag in July 2013; executive director of InterAction for Health and Human Rights, the organisation formed when Intersex Human Rights Australia and Intersex Peer Support Australia merged
Hanne Gaby Odiele (1987-) - Belgian model who publicly came out as intersex in 2017
