Intersex is an umbrella term that refers to people who carry variations in their reproductive and sexual anatomy that differ from what is traditionally considered “male” or “female.” For example, an intersex person could have one set of genitalia internally and another externally, while also having differing sets of chromosomes. Some people can have ambiguous genitalia and might not know they are intersex at birth. While the medical diagnosis has been in use since the early 1900s, intersex advocates pushed in the 1970s to have the status be recognized as an identity and a community, rather than strictly a medical classification.
Intersex people were historically called the scientific, biologically inaccurate, definitionly wrong term “Hermaphrodite”. Which refers to creatures such as snails that can take either role in reproduction. Humans can not do that in any capicity, intersex individuals have sex characteristics belonging to both male and females, NOT the willing ability to change their genitals in to different configurations. No human anywhere is hermaphroditic. They are referred to as intersex because they are born with sex traits that do not neatly fit in to either sex category. The human body is complicated.
Which from an etymology stand point is similar to the term “transexual” as in someone who was categorized into one of those two options but have transitioned their physical sex characteristics via medication or surgery. As opposed to “transgender” which is clothing, hair style and social roles. Sex is what is in your pants, gender is what type of pants you wear.
But I want to make clear that I’m only explaining terminology, transexual and transgender are the same community facing the same struggles so the umbrella term “trans” applies to both. Some intersex people consider themselves trans, others do not and both answers are correct. Having said all that, the idea that any of these terms inherently makes someone dangerous to children or unemployable is just rank bigotry.
Jumping off you for more information.
Intersex people were historically called the scientific, biologically inaccurate, definitionly wrong term “Hermaphrodite”. Which refers to creatures such as snails that can take either role in reproduction. Humans can not do that in any capicity, intersex individuals have sex characteristics belonging to both male and females, NOT the willing ability to change their genitals in to different configurations. No human anywhere is hermaphroditic. They are referred to as intersex because they are born with sex traits that do not neatly fit in to either sex category. The human body is complicated.
Which from an etymology stand point is similar to the term “transexual” as in someone who was categorized into one of those two options but have transitioned their physical sex characteristics via medication or surgery. As opposed to “transgender” which is clothing, hair style and social roles. Sex is what is in your pants, gender is what type of pants you wear.
But I want to make clear that I’m only explaining terminology, transexual and transgender are the same community facing the same struggles so the umbrella term “trans” applies to both. Some intersex people consider themselves trans, others do not and both answers are correct. Having said all that, the idea that any of these terms inherently makes someone dangerous to children or unemployable is just rank bigotry.