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Question: what is intersexism and who is impacted? (self.intersex)
submitted 3 days ago by dandelion to c/intersex
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Was reading the rules and they said that anyone that is a victim of intersexism can identify as intersex, and I just wonder what intersexism is exactly and how it would differ from, for example, stigma against trans people who appear with ambiguous or mixed gender.

I assume intersexism is something more narrow than merely the way anyone with ambiguous or mixed gender traits might be mistreated in society.

Just wondering if there is a book or article I should read to learn more, basically.

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[-] dandelion 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Thanks, but this doesn't really answer my question, even if it is helpful.

Scanning through the article, the main conclusion I draw is that the mistreatment of intersex people in society is very similar to mistreatment of trans people.

One of the main ways intersex people suffer that trans people do not is involuntary and / or coercive medical procedures to conform intersex bodies to cis standards. Unlike the false concerns anti-trans activists raise, intersex activism is actually focused on ending involuntary child mutilation.

What I was hoping for was a book or article that focuses more on anti-intersex attitudes that aren't just the same stigmatizing attitudes people have which make up a lot of transphobia (basically stigma against ambiguous gender, gender non-conforming bodies and behaviors, etc.) - and it seems like the surgeries and medical contexts are one of those places where these kinds of differences come up. I was wondering if there might be other examples, or even theorists who are working on analyzing anti-intersex attitudes.

this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2025
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Actually Intersex

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A lemmy community by and for intersex people. Perisex (non-intersex) people can participate but respect the vibe.

To subscribe from another lemmy instance search for !intersex@lemmy.blahaj.zone

RULES:

  1. Be kind to one another.
  2. No harassment or hate speech.
  3. Be as accessible as you can.
  4. This is a space for intersex people. Perisex people may participate but don't be disruptive. This isn't a place for you to work out your intersexism.

GROUND TRUTHS:

  1. Intersex is a big tent. Some people see intersex in medical terms. Some people see intersex through the social model. Some see it as a mix. Some people see intersex as queer. Some see intersex as disabled/crip. Some see it as both. You get the deal. There's no single way to be intersex.
  2. Anybody who experiences or is vulnerable to intersexism gets to call themself intersex if they want. That includes people with PCOS hyperandrogenism, people with Poland syndrome, and people who don't have diagnoses.
  3. TERFs and the alt-right are on a campaign to convince people that intersex is rare, biological sex is simple, and actually intersex people aren't the experts on who is intersex. We need to resist this.
  4. Solidarity with the trans community. While intersex and transness are distinct, our communities have fundamental common ground in being threats to cisperinormitivity.

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