You’re probably here because you saw a form with a checkbox or got into a heated debate on social media. Maybe you’re just curious. The question "is intersex a gender" seems like it should have a one-word answer, but biology isn't always that tidy. Honestly, the confusion usually stems from the fact that we tend to group "sex" and "gender" into the same bucket, even though they’re doing very different jobs in our lives.
Intersex isn’t a gender. It’s a physical reality.
Think of it this way: if gender is the software or the way you interact with the world, intersex is part of the hardware. It refers to a variety of conditions where a person is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the typical definitions of "female" or "male." This can involve anything from chromosomes and gonads to hormone levels and external genitals. It's about the body.
The biological "glitch" that isn't a glitch
Most of us were taught in high school biology that it’s XX for girls and XY for boys. End of story. But nature loves a spectrum. According to experts like Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling, a professor at Brown University who has studied this for decades, the idea of two—and only two—sexes is actually a bit of a social simplification.
Roughly 1.7% of the population is born with intersex traits. That might sound small, but it's actually about as common as having red hair. You’ve definitely walked past intersex people in the grocery store and never knew it. Because, well, why would you?
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There are dozens of variations. Some people have Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), where they have XY chromosomes but their bodies don't respond to testosterone, so they develop looking like typical females. Others might have Klinefelter syndrome (XXY) or Turner syndrome (X). Sometimes these traits are obvious at birth; other times, a person doesn’t find out until they hit puberty or try to have children later in life.
Why we confuse sex with gender identity
So, if it’s biological, why do we keep asking if intersex is a gender?
Usually, it’s because we are trying to find a place for people who don't fit the binary. In our society, "Male" and "Female" are used as labels for both biological sex and gender identity. When someone's biological sex doesn't match the "standard" male or female, we assume their gender must be something different too.
But here is the kicker: an intersex person can be any gender.
Most intersex people identify as either men or women. They live their lives as one of the two traditional genders. However, some intersex people do feel that their physical experience of being intersex is a core part of their identity, and they might identify as non-binary, genderqueer, or simply "intersex" as a gender. But that’s a personal choice, not a biological rule.
The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) has long advocated for the idea that "intersex" is a biological category, while "gender" is how you live your life. They aren't interchangeable. It’s kinda like how being tall isn't a personality trait, even if it affects how you experience the world.
The Medicalization of the Intersex Body
For a long time—and unfortunately, this still happens—doctors would "fix" intersex babies. They’d see an infant with ambiguous genitalia and perform surgery to make the child look more "standard" male or female.
This was often done without the parents really understanding the long-term impact. The logic was that it would help the child "fit in" and develop a "normal" gender identity.
The results were often disastrous.
Many people grew up feeling like something was "off" or experienced chronic pain and loss of sexual sensation from surgeries they never consented to. Organizations like interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth have been fighting to end these medically unnecessary cosmetic surgeries on infants. They argue that the child should be allowed to grow up and decide their own identity and whether they want surgery at all.
This history of medical intervention is a big reason why the conversation around intersex traits is so sensitive. It’s not just a trivia fact about chromosomes; it’s about bodily autonomy.
Breaking down the "Third Gender" myth
In some cultures, intersex or gender-diverse people are treated as a third gender. You’ve got the Hijra in India or the Muxe in Mexico. But in Western medicine and sociology, we try to keep the definitions tighter.
Is intersex a gender in the legal sense? In some places, yes.
Countries like Germany, Australia, and certain U.S. states (like California) allow for a "third" marker on birth certificates or passports—often an "X." This is sometimes used by intersex people who don't want to be forced into a male or female box that doesn't represent their biology or their lived experience.
But even then, the "X" is usually an umbrella for non-binary identities, which can include both intersex and non-intersex people.
Real-world examples of the spectrum
Let’s talk about Caster Semenya. She’s a world-class middle-distance runner and two-time Olympic gold medalist. She has been at the center of a massive legal and ethical battle because she has naturally high testosterone levels due to an intersex trait (specifically, 5-alpha reductase deficiency).
The sports world didn't know what to do with her.
World Athletics basically told her she had to take medication to lower her testosterone to compete in female categories. They argued it gave her an "unfair" advantage. But as Semenya and her supporters pointed out, we don't ask basketball players to get surgery to be shorter. We don't tell swimmers with unusually long arms that they have an unfair biological advantage.
Semenya identifies as a woman. She was raised as a woman. She lives as a woman. Her biology is intersex, but her gender is female. This case perfectly illustrates why "is intersex a gender" is the wrong question. The right question is: how do we respect people whose biology doesn't fit our narrow rules?
How to be an ally without being weird about it
If you meet someone who tells you they are intersex, you don't need to ask about their "parts" or their chromosomes. That's just basic manners.
- Listen to their pronouns. Just like anyone else, they will tell you how they want to be referred to.
- Don't assume. Being intersex doesn't mean they are trans, and being trans doesn't mean they are intersex. They are separate things.
- Support autonomy. The biggest issue facing the intersex community today isn't what bathroom they use; it's the right to not have unnecessary surgeries forced on them as babies.
The Nuance of Language
Words change. "Hermaphrodite" was the term used for a long time, but it’s now considered outdated and offensive by most in the community. It’s also biologically inaccurate for humans. "Intersex" is the preferred term, though some medical professionals use Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).
Many intersex activists hate the word "disorder." They prefer "Variations of Sex Development." It sounds like a small shift, but it changes the perspective from "something is broken" to "this is just a natural variation of being human."
Moving forward with clarity
The takeaway here is that intersex is a biological category, not a gender. A person's gender is their internal sense of being a man, a woman, or something else. While an intersex person's biology might influence how they see themselves, it doesn't dictate their identity.
If we want to build a world that’s actually inclusive, we have to stop trying to force everyone into two tiny boxes. Nature is messy. It’s diverse. It’s complicated. And that’s actually okay.
Actionable Steps for Further Understanding:
- Audit your language: Start using "sex assigned at birth" rather than just "sex" when discussing medical or social identities to acknowledge that these labels are often applied by others.
- Support Policy Change: Look into the AIC (Amnesty International) reports on intersex rights and support legislation that bans non-consensual cosmetic genital surgeries on minors.
- Diversify your feed: Follow creators like Pidgeon Pagonis or organizations like interACT to hear first-hand accounts of the intersex experience rather than just reading clinical definitions.
- Check your HR forms: If you're in a position of power at work, ensure that forms or surveys distinguish between biological sex (if actually relevant for healthcare) and gender identity to avoid confusing the two.
Understanding that intersex is about biology helps strip away the stigma and allows us to see the person behind the "condition." It’s about people, not just chromosomes.