#am i intersex

[intersex-questions]

Hi! I thought mabye this was the right place to ask this question? I know one way or another there is something wrong with my line of thinking but basically I have pcos and I was wondering if that made me intersex or if it was more complex than that? Because I do have things like I am growing sideburns and have a bit more hair under my chin. And I haven't had a period in over six years. Also my voice has been deemed to be more androgynous wich I think relates to the higher than average testosterone levels. But also when researching it seemed like mabye it was more about the experience. And while I have felt a little isolated about it in the past cause I didn't understand it, and I like the pcos intersex tag. I have also been privledged enough to live in an area where I have not faced bigotry for it. And I don't know if I can consider myself intersex or if that would be taking up space that is not meant for me?

Im not sure if this is a good question and no pressure to answer it of course! If the way I'm thinking is intersexist and you do decide to answer it please do let me know though! I'm just a little bit confused and my diagnosis has been a little bit of a revelation for me. Thanks for everything you do!

Many intersex people and much of the intersex community considers PCOS (especially with hyperandrogenism or symptoms of hyperandrogenism) an inherently intersex variation. The position of this blog is that it is inherently intersex. However, please note that this is a more inclusionary view—more exclusionary individuals and limited definitions of intersex may exclude this as intersex (although they usually still consider it intersex if there is significant or noticable hyperandrogenism). It is important to note that, although I do my best to be factual in many cases, my perspective is inherently biased in favor of inclusionary definitions of intersex and inclusion in the intersex community. However, the experiences you describe are something I think many people on varying levels of opinions on inclusion in the intersex community would consider intersex. I would absolutely consider you intersex, and many other intersex people would as well.

If you feel that the intersex identity describes you, that the community is for you, etc., I encourage you to label or acknowledge yourself as intersex! There isn't limited space—you are not taking up space by existing as an intersex person. The space is meant for you.

You don't have to have faced bigotry to be intersex. In fact, it's a good thing you haven't, and that's what I hope will be true for all intersex people someday! However, I would like to note, there are often modes of bigotry or oppression we don't always notice until retrospect. I thought I had never faced any transphobia really for some time in my life, only to later realize I had many incredibly transphobic experiences. Not that this is necessarily true for you—but sometimes we dismiss, don't realize, or, in a good way, aren't affected by instances of bigotry. But the fact that you even ever felt isolated, lost, confused, or alone because of your experiences is something that is very common for intersex people, and I think that deserves to be acknowledged and validated.

I don't think there is anything wrong with your lines of thinking and you are not being intersexist with your questions. And yes, this is the right place to ask these questions!

I hope I could answer everything you brought up, and if you have more to say, feel free.

TLDR; You are more than welcome to use the intersex label.

[trainsgenderfoxgirl2816]

I'm not sure if I'm intersex i think I might be but I'm not sure, I could be Perisex but I strongly think I'm intersex because my body does some weird things that make strongly suspect I'm intersex but also...

I'm so confused

[dearlittlecordyceps]

Just found out I might be intersex and so much stuff is starting to make sense to me. I'm still unsure about it however and also scared to claim the label for myself since I'm not sure that my kind of variation would be accepted as inter by the community. I also plan on doing a cromossome exam next semester.

[notsolonelyanymore]

I believe that the choice to use the intersex label is and should always be a personal one, however I have noticed many people with Turner Syndrome not wanting to call themselves intersex because 'We are real women' and 'It's a female only condition - We don't have male parts'

Not only is this incredibly transphobic as we don't all identify as women but it also completely misunderstands what intersex actually means (any variation in sex characteristic considered which is not typical for males/females)

Being intersex has never made me less of a woman, I can be an intersex woman and I AM an intersex woman. They aren't exclusive terms?

[gonyadaldysgenesis]

i dont really understand why people are so against ridding of the concept of AGAB/ASAB altogether in the name of "well, how would we define being trans then?"

a woman is "someone who identities as a woman." there is no other definition that does not exclude people who are women.

why does it make people uncomfortable to define trans people as "someone who identifies as trans"? trying to force it into some other definition will always exclude or include someone who either does or does not identify with the label. even if we are defining transness using AGAB/ASAB to say "someone who is transitioning away from/does not identify with their AGAB/ASAB", this is already true; there are GNC binary men who were AMAB who identify as trans and bigender women who were AFAB who identify as cis.

we do not need to keep around an oppressive concept that harms thousands of people in systemic and medical fashions because it would be harder to define some words. words that are used for identification are already going to be nearly impossible to define due to the complexity of human identity.

[satellites-halo]

"we need more weird queer people" y'all can't even handle intersex people wanting to call themselves queer (for being intersex)

[voidyellingback]

has anyone else noticed that cishet people have started to use "twink" and "zesty" in a derogatory way... like, seemingly in place of the f slur?

[intersex-questions]

Heya, I have a question about a intersex topic that's been on my mind for a while now.

I've seen very conflicting information wether or not cryptochidism is under the intersex umbrella or only an indicator someone is more likely to be intersex. For context, I was born with chryptochidism and had surgery for it as a kid (something I only found out very recently, because i always wondered about the giant scar on my stomach). I had to do a karyotype thingie a few years ago for going on hrt (pronouns they/them) and it looked as expected, so no intersex markers there, but I had a somewhat minimal first puberty where I only got taller and my face changed with very little voice masculinazation, body hair and other typical stuff. Does stuff like that fall or likely fall under the intersex umbrella? I don't want to be disrespectful to actual intersex people at all.

Kindly, a confused enbie

There are many variations/conditions/etc that are debated as to whether or not they are intersex, both by intersex individuals and by people who are not intersex. One of the driving reasons behind such debates is because, if we counted many things as inherently intersex, the amount/percentage of people who are considered intersex would go up dramatically. Many people do not think that is a good thing.

I support intersex as a label, identity, and experience as being as broad as it needs to be. This blog is highly inclusive to what is considered intersex and does not gatekeep or label any variations/conditions/etc as not intersex. My stance is firmly that, if you feel your experiences are explained by being intersex, you very likely are. Knowing all of that is important because the information and answers I give to anyone on this blog are ALWAYS inclusive and inherently biased. There are less inclusive intersex and non-intersex people who will give you different answers. It is up to you and anyone who reads anything I post on this blog to determine where they fall on their stances in debates around intersexuality. But, as this is my blog, I will be posting with my bias and with the belief that my opinion is the "correct" or "better" one.

Many people do not consider cryptochidism as inherently intersex, however, cryptochidism is something that is a very common indicator, symptom, or comorbidity with different intersex variations. Having it can often result in genetic testing done (like you had!) to determine if there are any chromosomal differences or related things happening. Based on what it sounds like you're saying, you didn't have any genetic differences that would be an intersex variation (such as Kleinfelter's, which can have cryptochidism as an indicator of it). But again, cryptorchidism is something that often can indicate being intersex and it can be connected to some differences/variations in how one develops. I'd also like to note that surgery done for cryptorchidism is something that is debated as to whether or not it is necessary as research currently often suggests it is linked to an increase risk of cancer, but there are also researchers who argue against that.

I tend to define intersex as something along the lines of "variations of primary and/or secondary sex characteristics that are innate to a person when they are born or as they develop through their lives/puberty" noting the important exclusions of how HRT for trans+ transition can affect bodies in ways that would be considered intersex if they were "naturally" born that way, as well as noting many experiences that people might face such as genital surgery/modification/mutilation due to falling out of the "norm", being on HRT as a child, having atypical puberties, etc. There's some better definitions of it and some better definition I've personally written for it that I'm blanking on at the moment. But what I'm saying is, if you personally feel like your experiences align with being intersex, such as having "oddities" in the development of your secondary sex characteristics, then I encourage you to decide if you feel the intersex label fits for you and if you wish to use it. For some variations, it's much more "obvious" if someone is intersex or not (like many chromosomal differences or ovotestes), whereas for others, it's more "opt-in" on if you want to label with intersex or not.

InterACT (a great resource and advocacy for all things intersex with advocacy focusing on intersex youth) has cryptorchidism on their list of intersex variations, and it's something I and many others would consider intersex.

[diospore]

I'm just saying if you're writing smut featuring trans people and you find yourself ONLY writing pre-op transmen as receiving penetration. ONLY writing your transmen as submissive.

You should really take a step back and think about why this is.

Also consider including trans people who have gotten bottom surgery. I'd like to see more of that. Or transmen using straps. That'd be cool too thanks.

[ridibulous]

intersex people who are/were invisible to others and/or themselves, I love you. intersex people who don't have a cut-and-dry label or short explanation for their bodies, I love you. intersex people with imposter syndrome about their experiences, I love you. please have faith in yourself.

[inter-sex]

Fun Flag Fact Friday!

The Mean Intersex Flag is a flag by @satyrradio! This flag is for intersex people who are 'tired of being nice.' I really suggest you read the entire description here (link!) as it's a beautiful flag with an incredible meaning behind it.

[soundofcomets]

THIS BLOG IS A SAFE SPACE FOR QUEERS, POC, DISABLED, INTERSEX, TRANS, AND ANY AND ALL MARGINALIZED GROUPS THAT ARE NOW IN MORE DANGER DUE TO THE ORANGE IN OFFICE.

Don't worry about the random fandom clutter, I enjoy collecting.

Edit: I somehow forgot to add neurodivergent people here. AND YES ALL OF THEM. I myself am neurodivergent so this feels like a joke

[ghxst-system]

my body is not a trump card for ur argument against a conservative about sex and gender.

my mutilation is not proof of "gender affirming care" for cis people.

my body is not a rarity, that rarity is manufactured.

[razzafrazzle]

strange old men!! theyre married for tax purposes (and gay purposes but thats less important)

[image description: a drawing of human designs for coach z and bubs from homestar runner. coach z is depicted as a lanky pale-skinned older man with a tooth gap, a five-o'clock shadow, and balding curly light brown hair with a grey streak through it. bubs is depicted as a bulky, dark-skinned older man with short greying afro hair and a short beard. end id]

[justdavina]

Korra Del Rio: Stunning Transsexual Model wearing a sexy mini dress that's wonderful on her.

[intervex]

New interhormonal flag design

I got a request for a new interhormonal / hormonally intersex flag that is more sensory-friendly than the original design by sproutflags.

Hormonally intersex (or interhormonal) is a term for intersex people whose intersex variation is characterized by what society perceives as a hormone "imbalance" - e.g. hyperandrogenism, hyperestrogenism, hypogonadism.

Sensory-friendly on the left. Version with original intersex flag colours on the right.

Hex codes I used in the sensory friendly version are: yellow: #f4db75 purple: #5f2a7e

The icon in the middle of the flag is a representation of the central common structure in sex hormones such as testosterone, estradiol, estrone, estriol, progesterone, etc.

These flags are released as public domain (CC0). 💜

Tagging for archival: @intersexflags @liom-archive @radiomogai @varsex-pride 💜