If you’ve been paying attention to the sports section of the newspaper these days you may have come across an article on a female champion track start who was recently reported to have no ovaries or uterus and instead have internal testes which produce large amounts of testosterone. Although reports have not been confirmed, this article brings to light the condition known as “intersex”.
It’s important to know that being a girl or boy is about more than a penis or vagina. It includes sex, gender and gender identity. Here are some definitions to help sort it all out:
Sex = biological – a combination of chromosomes (XX for girls, XY for boys), physical parts (genitals) and hormones
Gender = society’s expectations of how boys and girls look, think and act
Gender Identity = how you feel about your gender and how you convey those feelings (through clothing, behavior, speech etc.)
According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), intersex is a "general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male." Approximately one in 2,000 infants is born with intersex conditions (also known as "disorders of sex development") every year.
As can be expected, the condition of intersex can create a variety of feelings and responses. For people trying to negotiate their own feelings about it, try to seek support. For more information about intersex, click here.
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