What is Intersex?

At birth, an intersex person may have undescended testicles or genitals that look different to what is typically expected. A doctor may test for VSCs by:  

• A physical examination  
• An ultrasound scan to check internal organs  
• A blood test to check genes and hormone levels  

Sometimes signs of being intersex may not show until later in life. For example, someone may not show any signs of puberty, or their periods may not start. If this happens, it’s best to visit the GP who can refer them to a specialist.  

Someone who is intersex will have different chromosomes to the expected XX (assigned female at birth) or XY (assigned male at birth). For example, a person might have XXY chromosomes, or someone might only have one X chromosome.  

These differences in chromosomes can affect the person’s hormone levels, genitals and internal organs. For example, an intersex person might have ovaries, uterus, and vagina but these might not be in the same position or look the same as expected. Other intersex people might have testicles and a vulva. The key point is that there are over 40 variations in a person’s sex characteristics.

Gender is specific to the individual. Some people might identify as one gender whilst others may identify as intersex or non-binary. It’s important to never assume someone’s gender. Some intersex people may choose to use hormone therapy or surgery to alter their appearance but what someone chooses is personal to them and their health needs. 

There are medical interventions that aim to fit the intersex person into the expected sex binary of ‘male’ or ‘female’.

Non-essential intersex medical interventions can have long-term impacts on the intersex person’s health, and they are often carried out when the person is too young to consent to their treatment. That’s why they have been condemned by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UN Committee against Torture.

Non-essential interventions include:

• Reducing the size of the clitoris (clitorectomy)  
• Reducing the size or changing the shape of the inner vulva lips, called the labia minora (labiaplasty)  
• Making the labia minora more even in size (vulvoplasty)  
• Changing a small penis (micropenis) into a vulva and vagina (vaginoplasty)  
• Hormone treatment to make someone develop in a more ‘male’ or ‘female’ way  

Negative effects of these interventions:  

• Infertility 
• Issues with the urinary tract (where you wee from)  
• Difficulty or inability to have sex  
• Decreased sexual pleasure  
• Scarring  
• Pain  
• Infection  
• Emotional and social impacts e.g. missing school because of ongoing medical appointments. 

• Intersex UK – British NGO working for intersex bodily autonomy, safeguarding, and equality in law  
• Intersex Equality Rights – A collective of people and organisations campaigning for intersex inclusion, equity, and representation in society   
• Organisation Intersex International Europe – An umbrella organisation of European human rights based and intersex-led organisations  
• Interconnected UK – A charity helping intersex people to be self-accepting and self-advocating  
• Rainbow Migration – An organisation providing a safe space and legal advice for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers