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What it means to be intersex

"Is it a boy or a girl?" That's one of the first questions we ask when a baby is born. But did you know that some babies aren't so easily characterized?

People born with intersex variations have anatomy that isn't easily classified as male or female. Sometimes an intersex variation is evident at birth--other times, it becomes perceptible at puberty or even later in life. There are more than 40 distinct variations in anatomical development that fall under the intersex umbrella.

Intersex variations are part of the naturally occurring differences in our bodies, but their existence has often been shrouded in secrecy due to persistent notions that there are only two 'normal' body types--male and female.

Recently, more intersex persons are speaking up and sharing their stories, and we are learning more from researchers about the broad spectrum of variations in biological sex development.

Dee

Who is Dee?

What it means to be intersex

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Dee

Gender Identity Our core sense of who we are as a man, a woman, a mixture of both, or neither.

Gender Expression How we show up in the world through choices like clothing, hair style, mannerisms or tone of voice.

Attraction How we feel toward others sexually, romantically and/or emotionally.

Biological Sex Physical attributes such as reproductive organs and genitalia, chromosomes, genes and hormone levels.

What it means to be intersex

Featured Content

References:

Dee

Gender Identity Our core sense of who we are as a man, a woman, a mixture of both, or neither.

Gender Expression How we show up in the world through choices like clothing, hair style, mannerisms or tone of voice.

Attraction How we feel toward others sexually, romantically and/or emotionally.

Biological Sex Physical attributes such as reproductive organs and genitalia, chromosomes, genes and hormone levels.

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