Intersex Terminology Masterpost
This post updates regularly, so please check the notes before reading or reblogging to find the most recent version. Click the links to read more (pride flags too) and feel free to add on! All terms are intersex exclusive unless otherwise stated.
Intersex (Adj.) - A term to describe those who were born with a sex variation that led to having sex characteristics that arenât traditionally male or female. Abbreviation is IS. Noun form is Intersexness (the word I personally use is Intersexuality). Read more here.
Dyadic (Adj.) - A term meaning âof twoâ used by intersex people to describe those who are not IS. Noun form is Dyad(s).Â
Perisex (Adj.) - A term whose prefix means âaround,â ânear,â used and coined intersex people to describe those who are not IS.
Endosex (Adj) - A term whose prefix means âwithinâ used and coined by intersex people to describe those who are not IS.
Juxtasex (Adj) - A term whose prefix means âclose toâ used and coined by intersex people to describe those who are not IS.
Variation - A term used to refer to the cause of someoneâs intersexuality. It is to be used instead of condition/disorder/etc. There are 3 main types of IS variations - Chromosomal, Hormonal, and Gonadal. There are some variations listed on LGBTA Wikia, the main source for this masterpost.
DSD - An abbreviation meaning either âdifference of sexual developmentâ or âdisorder of sexual development.â The latter should not be used, and Variation is to be used over DSD. (Link contains list of Variations)
Intersexism / Inter(sex)phobia - The discrimination, prejudice, dislike, and hatred of and towards IS people.
Dyadism - [TW] The belief that being Dyadic is normal, correct, the default, etc., and that IS people are unnatural, wrong, diseased/deformed, insignificant, etc. Can also be called Perisexism, Endosexism, or Juxtasexism.
Transgender-Intersex - A term for an IS person whose gender identity does not match the one decided on by their doctors and/or parents at birth, and identifies as transgender and intersex at the same time. Not all intersex people who are identify as trans-intersex, however. More commonly said abbreviated as âtrans-intersex.â
Sex Assignment - Different from gender assignment, sex assignment is the process by which a personâs âbiological sexâ is determined. Everyone is assigned a sex and gender at birth, and for intersex people, sex assignment can be complicated and traumatic (see; IGM and Forced/Coerced HRT).
AXAB - Assigned âXâ At Birth. For IS people who did not have a sex assigned to them at birth. A similar term is UAB.
AIABÂ - Assigned Intersex At Birth. For IS people whose intersexuality was recognized at birth. May be used in place of/alongside âAXAB.â
IAFAB / IAMABÂ - âIntersex Assigned Female At Birthâ and âIntersex Assigned Male At Birth.â For IS people regardless of when their intersexuality was recognized.
CAFAB / CAMAB - âCoercively Assigned Female At Birthâ and âCoercively Assigned Male At Birth.â These terms are not intersex exclusive and are generally used to underline the fact that gender assignment is nonconsensual. [TW] In the IS community these may be used to describe people who underwent IGM or other medical methods of assignment.
FAFAB / FAMAB - âForcibly Assigned Female At Birthâ and âForcibly Assigned Male At Birth.â Used similarly to CAMAB / CAMAB in the intersex community.
IGMÂ - [TW] Infant/Intersex Genital Mutilation. Used by IS people in reference to the surgical procedures used to alter intersex peopleâs genitalia/remove internal organs in order to assign or reassign our sex and/or gender.
Forced/Coerced HRT - [TW] Forced/Coerced âHormone Replacement Treatmentâ is an experience that probably deserves its own name independent of HRT, however is called this due to lack of terminology. It refers to the hormones given w/o proper consent to IS people in order to make us appear dyadic. It also may be given as a result of IGM impairing or destroying organs responsible for the production of certain hormones.
Intergender - A gender that is in some form linked to being intersex. Also known as Integender or Mera.  A similar identity is Amalgagender.
Inter-Aligned - A gender alignment for nonbinary IS people whose gender is aligned with being IS instead of or alongside being masc-aligned or fem-aligned.
Amalgagender - A gender that is affected by or mixed into oneâs intersex identity. A specific inteÂźgender.
Duogender - A gender that is a combination of male and female as a result oneâs intersexuality. A specific inteÂźgender.Â
Interandrogyne - A form of Androgyne that is connected or influenced by oneâs intersexuality. A specific inteÂźgender. Similar to Duogender and not to be confused with Interandrogynous. [Coined by me]
Divisigender - A gender that is distinct and wholly separate from male and female experienced as a result of oneâs intersexuality. A specific inteÂźgender.Â
Neutroix - A gender that feels completely neutral, especially related to oneâs intersexuality. Similar to Neutrois, but for intersex people only. A specific inteÂźgender.
Ingender - A form of Agender that is experienced as a result of oneâs intersexuality. Also known as Vacagender or Intergenderless. A specific inteÂźgender.
Rebis - A gender that transcends the false idea of gender and sex as binaries. Not to be confused with Resbis. A specific inteÂźgender.Â
Resbis - A term to describe an intersex person who feels regularly conflicted by and is trying to reconcile with their gender identity, or who feels they have in the past struggled with their gender identity, but who has now reached a state of harmony with their gender. Not to be confused with Rebis.
Trans-Intersexual - A term for IS people who feel as if theyâre both biological sexes and do not fit into the categories of âmale or female.â These people fit the categories of both intersex and transgender people. Not to be confused with Transgender-Intersex.
Ipsogender - A gender modality for IS people who identify as the gender they were assigned, and may or may not identify with being cisgender due to their experiences with intersexuality, dydaism, and/or cissexism. Coined by an IS sociologist! A similar term is Advenagender. May be abbreviated as âipso.â
Ipsofeminine - A gender modality for Ipsogender people who are of a feminine gender identity or transitioning femininely. May be abbreviated as âipsofem.â [Coined by me]
Ipsomasculine - A gender modality for Ipsogender people who are of a masculine gender identity or transitioning masculinely. May be abbreviated as âipsomasc.â [Coined by me]
Ultergender - A gender modality for IS people who do not identify as the gender they were assigned, and due to their intersexuality may or may not identify with being transgender. May be abbreviated as âulter.â
Ulterfeminine - A gender modality for Ultergender people who are of a feminine gender identity or be transitioning femininely. May be abbreviated as âulterfem.â [Coined by meâ]
Ultermasculine - A gender modality for Ultergender people who are of a masculine gender identity or be transitioning masculinely. May be abbreviated as âultermasc.â [Coined by meâ]
Transmascfem / Transfemmasc - A gender modality for people who are both transfeminine and transmasculine as a result of being UAB, AXAB, or intersex. May also be written as âTransmascfeminineâ or âTransfemmasculine.âÂ
Exparfeminine - A gender modality for IS people who relate to transfemininity despite being AFAB. May be abbreviated as âexparfem. [Coined by @/integender]
Exparmasculine - A gender modality for IS people who relate to transmasculinity despite being AMAB. May be abbreviated as âexparmasc.â [Coined by @/integender]
Inter-expressive - A term to describe an IS person (who may or may not be intergender) feels that their gender expression is deeply influenced by or intrinsically linked to their intersex variation.
Intermasculine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is masculine. May be abbreivated as âintermasc.â
Interfeminine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is feminine. May be abbreviated as âinterfemâ or âinterfemme.â
Interandrogynous - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is androgynous. May be abbreviated as âinterangi.â
Interambigous - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is ambiguous. May be abbreviated as âinterambi.â
Interxenine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is xenine. May be abbreviated as âinterxene.â
Interoutherine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is outherine. May be abbreviated as âinterouther.â
XTF - A term for IS people who are transitioning femininely, regardless of whether theyâre cis, trans, etc. Also can be used by transfeminine or exparfem IS people opposed to MTF.
XTM - A term for IS people who are transitioning masculinely, regardless of whether theyâre cis, trans, etc. Also can be used by transmasculine or exparmasc IS people opposed to FTM.
Note on transition related language: An IS person may create longer this-to-that acronyms to describe their personal experience, which may refer past nonconsensual hormone âtreatments.â An example of this is someone saying theyâre XTFTMTX (Intersex to female to male to neutral / their natural body).
Culturally Exclusive Terms
Ayâlonit - A term from Jewish culture for AFAB individuals âwho [have] not shown signs of typical female pubertyâ - âpresumed infertileâ and have masculine sex characteristics (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Saris - A term from Jewish culture for AMAB individuals âwho has not shown signs of typical sexual maturity; a eunuch.â There are two types: Saris Chama and Saris Adam. (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Androgynos - A term from Jewish culture for a person possessing both male and female sex characteristics. (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Tumtum - A term from Jewish culture for âa person of indeterminate gender; one whose genitals are obscured or not clearly male or female.â (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Kathoey - A term used by people in Thailand who in English may be described as transfeminine or intersex women.
Please correct anything on here if needed! Especially the culturally exclusive terms (although please do so with appropriate sources).
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