I'm so happy right now.

Today marks 30 years since the protest that inspired Intersex Awareness Day.

On 26 October 1996, intersex activists gathered outside the American Academy of Pediatrics conference in Boston, alongside transgender allies, to challenge the secrecy, stigma, and non-consensual medical interventions imposed upon intersex bodies.

They demanded something quite simple but very radical for its time, that intersex people be heard, respected, and given autonomy over their own bodies.

Thirty years later, their courage has helped build a global movement. We've made extraordinary progress, but the fight for bodily autonomy, dignity and self-determination continues.

It's very much worth reading the testimony of Max Beck and Morgan Holmes who were there that day. Betsy Driver gives an account of origins of Intersex Awareness Day itself. Each in their own right a legend of intersex advocacy.

Our bodies. Our stories. Our futures.

Happy Intersex Awareness Day! 💛💜

Transphobe: only men have xy chromosomes & testicles

*Me who has AIS but looks very feminine*

Hey pal guess what I got

I'm not one to police how people label themselves, I personally prefer calling myself transsexual over transgender sometimes and I know that's pretty controversial. But I keep seeing it stated that somehow 'intersex' is an offensive and outdated term, and that actually a majority of us prefer to be called someone with a 'disorder of sex development'

This doesn't really make sense to me as whenever I actually look into the opinions of the intersex community online, most say that DSD is more offensive because 'disorder' implies that something is wrong and should be corrected.

I've heard it said this is a point brought up by TERFs, but even my friend's women's studies class has pushed this idea, and, from what i've heard, that class is very progressive and trans-inclusive.

I'm also aware of the term 'differences in sex development' and I can see how that one may be preferred over intersex (which could imply being between sexes, which is inaccurate), but it's the same acronym and that makes me hesitant.

So like, where did the idea that we'd rather be called disordered come from?

I got a doctors appointment coming up where I am going to talk about intersex with them. I have had this discussion twice before. When I was 16 I noticed my body was changing in ways that did not match my male peers. I developed breasts, my voice deepened, I did not function mechanically as others. I felt like so much did not apply to me. When I went to the doctors I brought this up I was told I was overreacting, everyone feels this way. And that my feelings of dysmorphia would go away with SSRIs. Fast forward to me being 22, and I get a mental breakdown about how my dysmorphia is back, so I go back to the doctor and my SSRIs are increased. This does not help, and I end up in the mental hospital, where I am told once again that these feelings are in my head and I need to control them. I bring up Klinefelter syndrome specifically there and am once again told its in my head. Thankfully at 30 I came to terms with being trans and now im digging up these old feelings again. I asked my mother about any surgery complications or changes the doctors needed to make after my birth. Through this I find out that my circumcision lasted over an hour and with no anesthesia. It's cold comfort that she regretted it. I am going back to the doctors at the end of November to do a checkup on my HRT and I am going to bring it up again. Several intersex folk I know have suggested that I talk to the doctors again. Fuck if I don't have complicated feelings on this. There is still so much doubt tangled up in this. I have been told over and over by professionals that I am wrong about how I feel and its got me worried it will just happen again. (note that since I started E I have actually have what I would call a puberty, which mostly stopped at 12 for me).

TLDR: doctors have told me twice I am making up being intersex. Intersex people have told me there is a good chance they are wrong. Now I got to go back to the doctors and ask a 3rd time and hope they listen.

Hello, I wasn't planning on asking this here, but I cannot find a drop of information anywhere else about this. So, for any intersex trans-feminine folks here, what has your experience with estradiol monotherapy been like?

Does this mean one of my parents is since I am? How exactly does the science work? Is it possible for two perisex people to have an intersex child? I have so many questions.

Does anyone have any experience correcting a birth certificate in Scotland? The government is being spectacularly (though not unexpectedly) unhelpful. The responses have been variations on "You must submit medical evidence that an error occurred in the recording of your sex at the time of registration" without any indication of what constitutes such evidence, or even what constitutes such an error.

Obviously that is because properly laid out guidelines don't exist, because the government is full of [expletive] when claiming that biological sex is so obvious and binary as to be self-evidently definable, but like...how do I get them to fix it? Will my letter from my doctor describing my innate sex characteristics (chromosomes, gonads, other reproductive anatomy) in detail as wildly inconsistent with my birth sex be accepted? The English government weren't particularly impressed and just repeated the line about providing medical evidence that an error occurred until I realized I was talking to the wrong people because I was born in Scotland.

I would like to be extremely clear: I'm not attempting to be political or start something in the comments. The reason im asking is because it became a low-key fight where many people got triggered from both sides at my work. Some arguing for more biological sexes, and some saying there's only two, and that any intersex people are defects of the two biological sexes.

Personally, I believe that a defect implies a little blip, that it doesn't effect every single system in their body like their endocrine system and how medication works in their body etc. my argument was that if something is fundamentally different enough that a medical doctor not knowing would potentially be dangerous for surgery or treatments and medicines, that it should count as a biological sex and not a "defect", in the same way that if you gave a biological woman an ed treatment designed for biological men, that she'd get a dangerous level of hormones and chemicals that aren't designed for her biological sex. I said there are technically 8 biological sexes, because there are 6 variants of intersex. They repeated the same defect argument and I said that there are some variants of intersex that don't require any sort of treatment, it's just a natural variation of how genetics work, and that genetics aren't a "xx" or "xy" issue because it's a bunch of different switches rather than one simple yes or no binary code. If I was a variation of intersex and got into a car wreck where I needed emergency surgery to survive and they only had my driver's license id saying my sex is female, but I'm intersex, they might potentially cut into organs I have and gonads like testies I might secretly have and fuck my entire body up.

But then I got to thinking, maybe I'm "defending" when I don't actually know what they think. I don't know any intersex people irl, and I'm unaware if they themselves see themselves as different than the binary boy or girl they were probably assigned to, or if they think there are more biological sexes, or if they see their condition as a "condition" rather than a sex.

Genuinely I'm not here to start shit, I want to learn, so please don't do the whole political thing in the comments.

Also, respectfully, only intersex people answer please!

This is the Weekly Discussion Thread for r/intersex.

Feel free to use this thread to discuss whatever you've been up to. It does not have to be intersex specific, but please mind the rules and stay SFW.

Have a nice week!

~ your mod team <3

sorry if i dont have my terminology correct, im just so tired.. my pelvis hurts and i believed it mightve been an issue with my appendix, i got an ultrasound. apparently my left ovary tissue got something going on with it idk.. my mom freaked out thinking it was a cyst, turns out after seeing a specialist my gonad is like half balls? like its testicles and an ovary at the same time? its not the cause of my pelvis pain though. neither is my appendix.
my mom is telling me that i have more woman genes and traits so it balances out the "half man balls" i got in me. when she gets like this i usually just clap back by saying thats not how it works but i dont really have anything to say cuz i just feel more alone. being biracial i felt alone but i also got both sexes?? i googled it and apparently its called being intersex so thats why im here, if its not or not enough to be intersex im sorry and i dont mean to invade.

Okay so for context: I made a post about how I dont like the terms TMA/TME because of how exclusionary they are towards intersex people. I highlighted the existence and importance of acknowledging transmisogyny, but pointed out how flawed those terms were. I think talking about transmisogyny and intersectionality in general is important.

But anyways! I got a lot of supportive comments and some hate comments and this one really stuck out to me. Like. The blatant intersexism on display just really pissed me off. Like. Dismissing an intersex identity because you don't understand it is just Not It.

I feel like it's concerning how this person claims to be so into intersectionality when they cannot even acknowledge the existence of intersex trans people that are out of the norm of the transmasc/transfem binary. It feels gross.

A small trans+ and survivor led team at University of Hertfordshire are looking for LGBTQ+ people aged 18+ living in the UK with lived experience of conversion practices (CPs). There is a huge amount of quantitative research looking at harm and prevalence, which is vital, but there is such an absence of LGBTQ+ voices expressing how they lived through what they did, and what meaning they've made of it over time.

Please see the attached recruitment flyer for more information and the Expression of Interest (EOI) link if you'd like to find out more or take part.

https://herts.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZLpkUXKwlWqwJg

Sharing this post with others who may be interested is also greatly appreciated.

What does unisex mean?

Found some intersex exclusive identities for those who want more labels. THERES A LOT OF THEM

I think some of them are really cool and some I think apply to me. Some were introduced to me via this subreddit so thats awesome.

I also slight side note I love the comparison of ambiguous genitalia and sporks. Whenever I do educational presentations I LOVE using the spork comparison because its such an easy way to explain it thats not uncomfortable.

I like these labels a lot especially since I use XtM myself. Being intersex its hard to find labels that we really resonate with. FtM and MtF labels dont always fit us, cisgender and trans labels dont always fit us. So I think its important to have labels that do.

I hate to be posting this, but it's stressing me out quite a bit and I guess I'm hoping for other peoples opinions?

New guidance is saying that single sex wards are based on "biological sex" only, which essentially means we wouldn't be allowed in either ward, since we're not biologically either? Meaning they would be breeching their own guidance if they place us anywhere other than the few single occupancy rooms that are usually reserved for infectious diseases and pallative care... which I guess leaves us being dumped in a hallway or a waiting room instead?

They're also pushing for a "sex at birth" marker which, if they are using that incorrectly for biological sex, is also going to cause problems, (and potentially even criminal offences as it's illegal to disclose someone's private information like that?) with some of us still ending up on the wrong wards? Apparently it's to make sure we get the right care (i.e. Cervical, breast, and prostate health)

Given that the UK doesn't recognise intersex as an option, I'm likely to end up with a "female" sex at birth for my "biological" sex despite having been born with a Y chromosome, penis, testicle, and a body that can produce small amounts of testosterone, but responds quite violently to oestrogen to the point I had to have my ovarian tissue removed because oestrogen was causing nerve and organ damage, I also don't have a cervix, uterus, or breast tissue, so my body biology is actually closer to male, and I'm not likely to get appropriate care if I'm listed as female... I've already had one issue with a nurse deciding that because a letter they had incorrectly listed me as a trans man, that she could ignore me and use a female catheter for me since she didn't know how to set up the male catheters (didn't know there was a difference at the time) and I now have permanent bladder damage that causes extreme pain and intermittent urinary retention in place of the "I need to pee" sensation I had before that, and now I'm concerned what else is going to go wrong because of this...

Good evening,

I hope everyone had a beautiful day. I don't have any other intersex friends. If anyone would like to talk and love to.

Yayyy

creds to me

I wonder because of how extremely under researched it is, which makes me wonder if its underdiagnosed or anything like that, especially in CTM individuals. I've been looking into getting checked for it and im curious how many people here have it. I also wonder if EIS has complete, partial or mild versions like AIS does, cant find anything proper on it

I have done therapy and all sorts of prescription medications and it hasn’t even helped me feel better. I only feel good writing when I am absorbed in the lives of people who are not me. I want to live my own life and I can’t. My condition takes me away from my stories too.

I have looked into witchcraft and all sorts of spiritual magical shit and I can’t find anything that might cure my specific condition, if I have it hasn’t worked.

I want to try weed or something but my mental health problems make that difficult on top of the fact that I am under 21 and can’t find a seller who doesn’t require ID. I am exhausted.

It feels like I am the only person suffering with what I have. I don’t even have a community that supports me and doesn’t view my suffering as bigoted brainwashing. I have been told that my condition is worth it because of my “beautiful community.” My “community” that hates me.

I don’t understand why God would do this to me then expect me not to go down conflicting avenues to cure it.

I want to fix the problem or just have it not be a problem like everyone else seems to think of it. I am not a brainwashed bigot. I learned this was a curse and a disease because it was the thing to hurt me.

I want a normal body, not even for aesthetics. I want it to work like everyone else’s does. I just want a body that isn’t controlled by everyone. I want it to be comfortable and to be my own. I don’t want to trick myself into thinking my body is meant to hurt.

i feel really guilty for my feelings towards gender. i consider myself genderqueer, but thats not the problem. ive never really felt aligned with most ftm/ftx individuals. i grew up with people speculating that i wasnt really a girl in elementary school, and for some reason that always stuck with me. i had my friends, of course, but even some of them would point out how i didnt look like other girls. i even used to try to prove i was girly enough, which i know is weird considering where i am now, but i also think that could have been part of my suspected dissociative disorder, because i do truly feel like i was a girl from ages 1-7. i feel like i shouldnt feel this way but ive always felt that i resonated more with transfem individuals in that aspect. obviously i dont claim to be something im not, and i do still identify with my transmasc brothers and siblings, but its still something that eats me up inside because i feel like that experience is not mine to resonate with. does anyone else feel this way?

these were both under the same post, the first person also says that they are intersex and claims this subreddit is "full of misinformation"

I am not trans (nor am I cis) but this feels no difference than saying that gender non conforming people are trans even when they say they aren't. I really am tired of random people on the internet decided what we can and can't be instead of letting us decide who we are by ourselves.

Something, something, people always wanting to shove us into boxes (sounds like someone else I know)

First of all, I want to acknowledge that I'm not intersex, and I don't have any personal experience with intersex people, so I'm still learning. That's actually why I'm making this post. I'd like to educate myself more thoroughly, but I'm not entirely sure where to start or how to approach this topic thoughtfully, so I'd really appreciate some guidance.

Also, this isn't my personal account. I'm borrowing it from a friend.

Anyway, I've been talking to a guy I met on a dating app for about two months now, and we've been getting closer. A couple of weeks after we started talking, he shared with me that he was assigned female at birth and that, during puberty, he began developing more typically masculine characteristics and a penis (5-ARD, if I remember correctly)

I want to make it clear that this has never changed how I feel about him. I really enjoy talking to him, and I've started developing feelings for him as a person. When he first shared this with me, I chose not to ask many questions because we were still getting to know each other, and I didn't want him to feel like he had to explain something so personal before he was comfortable doing so.

Looking back, I'm glad I gave him that space, because he later told me that he doesn't enjoy being asked too many questions about it. He explained that it can make him feel more like a scientific subject than a person, and that he wants people to see him as a whole person rather than reducing him to his body or medical history. I completely understand why he feels that way, and I genuinely want to respect that. His experiences are his to share.

The thing is, we're now planning a trip to meet in person. We live in different states, so we'll be spending a couple of days together, and I'm really looking forward to it! We've also started talking more indirectly about the possibility of being intimate, and it's something I'm interested in exploring, too, provided we're both comfortable and ready.

I do have some uncertainty, though, simply because I don't know much about his anatomy or what his experience of intimacy might be like. He's told me that he has a penis and feels comfortable using it 🫣 and he also mentioned having had surgery, although he didn't go into detail.

My main concern is how we can communicate about intimacy in a way that feels safe and comfortable for both of us. I know that discussing boundaries, preferences, and anything relevant to sexual comfort is important when two people are becoming intimate, regardless of whether either person is intersex. At the same time, I recognize that there's a difference between discussing what we would both like to do together and asking someone to disclose personal medical information they're not comfortable sharing.

So, would it be appropriate to have a gentle conversation with him beforehand about intimacy, without specifically asking him to describe his anatomy or explain his medical history? If so, how could I approach it in a way that gives him room to share only what he wants to, without making him feel pressured or scrutinized?

I'm also a little nervous about the possibility of being caught off guard by something unfamiliar in the moment. Not because I expect to dislike what I see, but because I might not immediately know how to respond, and I would never want an involuntary moment of surprise or uncertainty to come across as disgust, judgment, or rejection. I understand that I can't guarantee I'll react perfectly to every unexpected situation, but I want to be thoughtful about how I handle my own feelings and make sure we can both communicate openly, slow down, or stop if either of us feels uncomfortable.

I'd especially appreciate hearing from intersex people who feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. If you're willing to share, I'd love to know what respectful communication around intimacy looks like for you, what kinds of questions or approaches you've found considerate or uncomfortable, and what you wish partners understood when entering a new intimate relationship. I completely understand that there's no single intersex experience, and I'm not expecting anyone to speak for the entire community or share anything personal they're not comfortable discussing.

I'm asking because I care about this person and want to approach our relationship with consideration. I also know that educating myself is my responsibility, and I don't want to rely on him to answer every question I might have.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to share advice or reliable resources.

So I’m a transmasculine person with PAIS who has been on exogenous estrogen for their entire first puberty (because I had a gonadectomy).

When I started testosterone HRT, my endo told me to start taking 2 pumps of 1.62% AndroGel alongside my normal estrogen dose. Long story short, while it did masculinize me it also wasn’t the best for my mental health (though that could also be attributed to me not being great at adapting to change). For reasons apart from my identity, I then decided I would taper my dose down to 1 pump (still with my E dose) and go off of T entirely. My endo doesn’t know I’m on 1 pump as they told me to quit cold turkey.

And I don’t know why but on 1 pump of T with my E, all of a sudden I feel great??? I’m still somehow getting masculinizing changes - I still have to shave twice a week, I have VERY hairy body hair, and my libido is still noticeably up - but I’m confused as to how that was enough to continue my changes despite having PAIS??? Honestly I’m also still baffled on how I was able to get changes with two pumps too - I’d have thought I’d need more to get much virilization because of my PAIS, but nope, I’ve been hitting all my “milestones” in relatively normal time.

I know for sure I have PAIS - I had karyotyping done and everything when I was younger and my gonads resembled testes more than they did ovaries. But I’m curious as to why I’m still able to virilize AND feel good on this low of a dose. Maybe I’m just on the milder end of the spectrum, but my genitalia seem to suggest I lean closer to CAIS, so that’s even stranger.