Nearly one in every 2,000 people is born with variations in reproductive or sexual anatomy, or has a chromosome pattern that doesn’t fit wit
via: U.S. Embassy & Consulates In The UK
Nearly one in every 2,000 people is born with variations in reproductive or sexual anatomy, or has a chromosome pattern that doesn’t fit with what is typically considered male or female. Such individuals are “intersex” — the “I” in LGBTI — and can identify as male, female or neither. Along with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, intersex people are struggling in many places for recognition, equality and their human rights.
Being intersex is not as rare as you might think, but it is a condition invisible to outsiders, and some people do not discover they are intersex until they reach puberty.
Infographic reveals the startling complexity of sex determination
The project abruptly transformed into an exercise in visualizing complexity. The density of science underlying this phenomenon compelled a shift towards intersex. First, it seemed imperative to define a few terms. Sex, gender, and sexuality are all distinct from one another (although they are often related), and each exists on its own spectrum. Moreover, sex cannot be depicted as a simple, one-dimensional scale. In the world of DSDs, an individual may shift along the spectrum as development brings new biological factors into play.
[e.g. Before modern medical imaging and genetic testing people relied on visual inspection to determine sex.] via Wikipedia: “Intersex people were historically termed hermaphrodites, "congenital eunuchs", or even congenitally "frigid". Such terms have fallen out of favor, now considered to be misleading and stigmatizing. Intersex people have been treated in different ways by different religions and cultures, and numerous historical accounts exist.”
Judaism is broadly accepting. According to Talmudic passages Abraham & Sarah were both “androgynous” (of mixed sex).
Islam recognizes the gap between religion and society and holds an intersex person is called a Khuntha in the books of Fiqh and to be treated with dignity. Intersex medical interventions are considered permissible to achieve agreement between a person’s exterior, chromosomal make-up or sex organs. They are regarded as treatments and not the altering of Allah’s creation or imitation of the opposite sex.
Classic Christianity driven by Roman law stated that a newborn must be either male or female based solely on visual inspection. More recently in conflict with egalitarian Christianity the evangelical sect has created the “Nashville Statement” drawing hard inflexible lines about sexuality.
Anitism a native Philippine religion relates that Intersex people are like the god Lakapati, a hermaphrodite god and a major fertility deity in the Tagalog religion.
Hinduism regards the Intersex person as having a relationship with Shiva but popular misunderstandings "cause tremendous fear in the parents of intersex infants and children”. (Wikipedia)
This year has been record shattering for anti-LGBTQ legislation, with particular scrutiny on gender-affirming health care access for transge
6 June 2023 — Five states consider it a felony to provide certain gender-affirming care to minors. Idaho, North Dakota, Alabama, Oklahoma, & Florida without exceptions for Intersex people. Transgender and nonbinary youth are twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to their cisgender peers, according to a 2022 survey by The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth.
Nineteen states are targeting gender-affirming care — but not all bans look the same. In three states, it’s illegal for people to knowingly help minors receive care. Republican lawmakers say these measures are intended to protect children and have described gender-affirming procedures as “child abuse.” Democrats argue that Americans’ right to health care should be protected and have pointed to medical evidence that gender-affirming care is clinically appropriate.
A statewide medical professional group has come out in opposition to legislation that would ban medically unnecessary surgeries performed on
4 January 2022 — SACRAMENTO, Calif.
A California lawmaker has withdrawn a bill that would have banned some “medically unnecessary” surgeries on intersex children until they are old enough to participate in the decision. State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, has tried for three years to ban some types of surgeries on young children born with intersex characteristics. That refers to people with genitalia, chromosomes or reproductive organs that don’t fit typical definitions for male or female bodies, like people born with both ovaries and male genitals or incompletely formed genitals that can be ambiguous.
Original Article from The New England Journal of Medicine — Mutations in NR5A1 Associated with Ovarian Insufficiency
METHODS
To test the hypothesis that mutations in NR5A1 cause disorders of ovarian development and function, we sequenced NR5A1 in four families with histories of both 46,XY disorders of sex development and 46,XX primary ovarian insufficiency and in 25 subjects with sporadic ovarian insufficiency. None of the affected subjects had clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency.
RESULTS
Members of each of the four families and 2 of the 25 subjects with isolated ovarian insufficiency carried mutations in the NR5A1 gene. In-frame deletions and frameshift and missense mutations were detected. Functional studies indicated that these mutations substantially impaired NR5A1 transactivational activity. Mutations were associated with a range of ovarian anomalies, including 46,XX gonadal dysgenesis and 46,XX primary ovarian insufficiency. We did not observe these mutations in more than 700 control alleles.
Intersex activist Pidgeon Pagonis was incorrectly diagnosed with PAIS.
Intersex activist Pidgeon Pagonis has shared their heartbreaking story of how they learned the truth about their medical history
“This is what really breaks my heart, they never ever stopped to consider the fact that me having oestrogen levels below 30 (which is what post-menopausal cis women typically have) throughout my twenties and early thirties was not OK or healthy. — Our bodies need certain levels of either [oestrogen] or [testosterone] to build healthy bones; and somehow for 15 years no doctor ever connected my post-menopausal [oestrogen] levels with my damn near osteoporosis bone scan results.”
Original Article from The New England Journal of Medicine — Mutations in NR5A1 Associated with Ovarian Insufficiency
What is the life expectancy of someone with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome?
The life expectancy of individuals with AIS is generally normal and comparable to that of the general population. AIS itself does not significantly impact overall health or lifespan. However, it is important to note that the condition can vary in its severity and presentation, leading to potential complications that may affect health outcomes.
One of the main concerns for individuals with 46 XY AIS is the risk of developing gonadal tumors. The testes in individuals with AIS are typically undescended and located inside the abdomen (streak gonads) or inguinal canal. These undescended testes have an increased risk of developing tumors, particularly germ cell tumors. Regular monitoring and screening for tumor development are crucial to detect and treat any potential malignancies at an early stage. Another important aspect to consider is the psycho-social well-being of individuals with AIS. The condition can have a significant impact on an individual's gender identity and self-perception. Some individuals with AIS may identify as women, while others may identify as non-binary or transgender. The process of understanding and accepting one's gender identity can be complex and may involve support from healthcare professionals, mental health specialists, and support groups.
Intersex is not a gender identity, and the implications for legislation
Numerous reports have tended to presuppose that intersex people are like gay men, lesbians and transgender people, and included in legal frameworks to protect (or not protect) on the basis of “sexual orientation and gender identity”. This is not the case, and this article attempts to clarify why not.
(via More Women Than Expected Are Genetically Men - Novo Nordisk Fonden)
Who Are The Hidden Men?
Danish researchers map for the first time how many women are genetically men. These people therefore have male chromosomes but are women socially and in external appearance. The proportion was higher than expected. “Morris Syndrome” & “Swyer Syndrome” are now collectively called 46XY DSD: androgen insensitivity syndrome. These people have an extremely high level of testosterone and other male sex hormones, but the testosterone does not affect the fetal cells that usually develop into male sexual organs because of a mutation in the androgen receptor gene. They may or may not have a full set of internal female sexual organs, and they form testicles that remain concealed in the abdominal cavity. From Claus Højbjerg Gravholt, who led the study and is Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Medicine of Aarhus University
Intersex vs. Nonbinary: Definitions, Differences, And Why The Terms Are Confused
The LGBTQIA+ community encompasses wide spectrums of sexualities and gender expressions. Among these identities are two that are often confused: intersex and nonbinary. We talked to registered nurse Mx. Francis Kuehnle and clinical psychologist Dr. Lori Lawrenz to break down the terms and the differences between them.
Though these identities are often confused, they're not interchangeable. Here's what you need to know.
(via I'm Intersex: here's what that means | Minus18)
Regarding Intersex inclusion in “LGBTQIA+” groups. Intersex inclusion is really important, but it needs to be led by intersex people. Some groups that will tack on an “I” in the acronym, but won’t even know what it stands for, which is tokenistic and misleading. If your organization doesn’t have any intersex staff or volunteers, then elevate the voices of intersex people who are already sharing our stories and ideas. It’s also important to consult with intersex people if you’re working on relevant resources or trainings.
(via As an Intersex Child, I Was Told I Didn’t Exist)
Marleen has androgen insensitivity syndrome. She was born with the typical male XY chromosomes, but her insensitivity to male Androgen hormones meant that eventually, she physically grew into a woman. The condition is known as Swyer Syndrome. Outwardly female, the condition is often also marked by internal “streak gonads”, which given the high risk for malignancy should be surgically removed. 46XY Intersex is sometimes referred to as “male pseudo-hermaphroditism”. Marleen's younger years were defined by secrecy. Now, she's going (very) public. Marleen is a Dutch dancer and a playwright. She is also intersex. Intersex people have internal and external sex characteristics – like hormones, genitals, ovaries and testes – which vary from the normative definition of “man” or “woman”. Statistics vary, but it’s estimated that between one in 2,000 to 4,500 babies are born intersex.
(via Intersex Law & Policy, Media, and Youth Leadership | interACT)
interACT Law & Policy - interACT’s founder, Anne Tamar-Mattis, JD.
interACT works across the nation and beyond to protect children born with intersex traits and ensure that the human rights abuses experienced by the intersex community are put to an end. To accomplish this, interACT advocates on behalf of intersex youth in the courts, in the development of local and national policy, and through collaboration on research to address pressing issues identified by the intersex community.
interACT remains the only intersex-led advocacy organization in the United States with the ability to employ full-time lawyers who work for intersex bodily autonomy.
(via Intersex Campaign for Equality – Promoting human rights and equality for all intersex people through art, education and action.)
SOME INTERSEX HISTORY
People whose intersex status can be visually detected were acknowledged and included within numerous societies for centuries, particularly by indigenous cultures. We have been known by many names, including “Androgynos”–the precursor to today’s English adjective “androgynous–in the ancient Juddaic text, the Talmud. Conversely, people with intersex variations that can only be detected with modern medical testing were not known to be intersex and were idenitfied and perceived–until relatively recently within human history–as men/males or women/females.
The interACT team expresses thanks to Dr. Arlene Baratz, awardee of the 2022 Anne Tamar-Mattis Award for Intersex Allyship. Dr. Arlene Baratz is an outstanding medical ally in the U.S. intersex movement and a parent to two intersex children. Her work represents over two decades of trailblazing leadership in medical research , education and leadership in peer support to intersex individuals and families.
