What can intersex look like?
“My intersex variation is gonadal dysgenesis. I found out at age 15 when I still hadn’t gotten a period. I have XY chromosomes and I have to take estrogen to help my bone health because I was born without ovaries.”
“My intersex variation is congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). I found out at birth. CAH is one of few intersex variations with additional medical considerations, because it affects the body’s ability to produce stress hormones. I take testosterone and I identify as transgender.”
“My intersex variation is complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS). That means my body developed in a way that is “tipically” female, but I was born with XY chromosomes and internal testes instead of ovaries. My body is insensitive to testosterone, so it converts it to estrogen instead.“
“My intersex variation is parcial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS). That means I only partially responded to testosterone in the womb. (Because of this, people with PAIS may havve an ambiguous sex at birth.) My parents found out I have PAIS when I was born. I have XY chromosomes and I identify as transgender.”
Doctors often encourage surgical removal for female-identified intersex people who have internal testes. However, this is NOT medically necessary and has more to do with society’s views on sex and gender. Removing hormone producing organs makes a person reliant on the medical industry for external hormones! Similar to other LGBT groups, intersex people struggle for bodily autonomy. We may have to fight against surgeries we don’t want.
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