WHAT IS AN INTERSEX PERSON?

Have you ever wondered what being intersex is? Normally, many people are confused by this term, especially nowadays. Commonly, intersex people are also confused with the term hermaphrodite, and they aren’t the same, as there are some differences.

In this post, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about what it means to be intersex. Likewise, we’ll also tell you what are the characteristics of this condition and also its types. By the way, don’t think that intersex is a disease or something similar because it is not.

What is intersex?

First, we’ll tell you what is intersex or what is the meaning of this word. Intersex is an umbrella term, it refers to a biological condition or constitution that a person presents when he or she has both typical male and female sexual characteristics.

Having said this, we can say that intersex does not refer to the sexual and gender identity of a person, but to the biological aspects that he/she presents. That is, people who are intersex have different sexual orientations and their own gender identities, these things don’t depend on each other.

The bodies of intersex people are fine as they are, they are part of genetic diversity. For this reason, they shouldn’t intervene unless the person in question gives his or her consent after being properly informed about this condition.

Types of intersexuality

To talk about the types of intersexuality it must be said that this condition is due to various causes and is divided into 4 categories. However, in many intersex children, the cause of intersexuality can be undetermined, even with the use of modern techniques and equipment. The categories into which they are divided are:

XY intersex

In this type of intersex, the person has male chromosomes, however, the external genitalia isn’t fully formed. In several cases, they may look ambiguous or even clearly female.

Internally, the testicles may be completely normal, as well as malformed or absent. Between types of intersex can have a variety of causes, among which are:

• Problems with the testes
• Problems with testosterone formation.
• Deficiency of the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT (Dihydrotestosterone).
• AIS is the most common cause of XY intersex.

AIS stands for Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome. This syndrome occurs when a person who is male, genetically speaking, is resistant to androgens, or male hormones.

XX Intersexuality

An example of XX intersex can occur when a person with female chromosomes along with their ovaries has male external genitalia. Frequently, these cases occur when a female fetus is frequently exposed to male hormones before birth.

The labia majora often fuse, while the clitoris may enlarge to the point of resembling a penis. However, in most of these cases, individuals have normal uteri, as well as normal fallopian tubes. Possible causes of this condition are:

• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
• Consumption of male hormones during pregnancy.
• Ovarian tumors that generate male hormones in the mother.
• Deficiency of aromatase, the enzyme that converts male hormones into female hormones.

Regarding the third point, when a mother gives birth to a baby with XX intersex she should be screened. Of course, this is if it is still unknown what caused this condition.

Gonadal intersex

In these cases, individuals possess both ovarian and testicular tissues. This may be in the same gonad, or they may have one testicle and one ovary. That said, they may possess XX chromosomes or XY chromosomes, or even both.

The external genitalia of these individuals may be ambiguous or directly male or female. What this means is that these people have both genitalia. This type of intersex was commonly called true hermaphroditism and it is unknown what causes this condition.

Indeterminate intersex

In these cases of intersexuality, no condition causes a discrepancy between the person’s sex organs, either internally or externally. It’s caused by various configurations and combinations of chromosomes during gestation. This condition can lead to problems with sexuality and sex hormones.

Difference between hermaphrodite and intersexuality

Having explained all the above, the difference between hermaphroditism and intersexuality lies in the fact that a person with intersex genitalia does not produce male and female gametes. That is, it can only produce one type of gamete. Hermaphrodites can produce both gametes.

👉🏻 You may be interested in: Did you know what it is to be demisexual?

How to know if you are intersex?

Now that you know the word intersex and its meaning, you are probably wondering how to know if you are intersex. Or maybe you just want to know, so you can be prepared in some cases.

To find out if you or someone else is intersex, what you need to do is to examine if your reproductive organs and/or genitalia are sexually “normal”. That is, if you are a male person and have female genitalia or vice versa, or if you have problems with sex and gender hormones.