Sex characteristics are physical features relating to sex. Everyone is born with innate primary and secondary sex characteristics.
Primary sex characteristics
- Genitals are present at birth and include the reproductive organs and genitalia. The external appearance of genitals (vulva or penis) is what usually determines the assignment of sex at birth.
- Gonads are the primary reproductive organs responsible for producing gametes (reproductive cells) and sex hormones. Testes produce sperm and ovaries produce egg cells. Given gonads can’t be seen, intersex variations may not be identified until puberty.
- Chromosomes are made up of DNA and carry genetic information from the parents to their child. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one of which is sex chromosomes. Typically this pair is XX for people presumed female at birth and XY for people presumed male at birth.
- Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate various functions in the body, including growth, metabolism and reproduction. They are crucial in determining sexual development and characteristics.
Secondary sex characteristics
- Develop during puberty, influenced by sex hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
- Not directly involved in reproduction.
- Examples include breasts, facial hair, menstrual periods, voice changes and body fat distribution.
Defining sex
The word ‘sex’ has several meanings in Australia, and people sometimes use sex to describe what is actually gender.
Different uses of the word sex include:
- how someone is legally categorised as male or female (or other categories depending on the jurisdiction) on their birth certificate
- a medical category of male or female based on sex characteristics or reproductive markers
- the act of sexual activity.
Intersex variations
Intersex variations or innate variations of sex characteristics refer to a range of natural bodily conditions in which a person’s physical sex characteristics do not fit the medical and social (endosex) norms of male or female.
There are more than 70 variations, and these are a natural part of human biological diversity. It is estimated that people with intersex variations make up 1.7% of births, however there is a lack of research to confirm this number.1
Intersex variations can involve differences in any of the primary or secondary sex characteristics. Some examples include:2
- androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)
- Turner syndrome
- Klinefelter syndrome or XXY variation
- congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
- hypospadias
- mosaicism
- ovotesticular disorder.
People with intersex variations can face endosexism, which means treating endosex bodies and people as valid, and intersex people as disordered or in need of ‘fixing’. This can include a dismissive attitude and negative feelings towards intersex variations and people who have them. Endosexism may also be referred to as intersexphobia or interphobia, but these are not the preferred terms.
Intersex people have innate sex characteristics that don’t fit medical and social norms for female or male bodies. We risk stigmatisation, discrimination and harm because our bodies are seen as different.
Preferred terminology
The way a person with intersex variations chooses to disclose and refer to themself is true to their experience and should be respected.
- Some people may refer to themselves, and want to be identified as, intersex.
- InterAction for Health and Human Rights and other rights groups are moving towards the term ‘innate variations of sex characteristics’ as it does not identify or pathologise a person’s experience. This might also be more affirming for people who have intersex variations but don’t identify as LGBTQ+.
- Some people might refer to their experience of a specific variation, rather than using the above terms, e.g. “I was born with Turner syndrome.”
References
- Interact: Advocates for Intersex Youth. Intersex FAQ. Interact: Sudbury, USA; 2021 [cited Sept 2024].
- Interact: Advocates for Intersex Youth. Intersex variations glossary Interact: Sudbury, USA; 2021 [cited Sept 2024].