Intersex for Dummies

Intersex is a word that describes a person who is born with physical traits that don't fit typical definitions of male or female. Just like people can have different hair colors, eye colors, and body shapes, people can also have different ways their bodies develop. When a person is intersex, it means that their biological characteristics, such as their reproductive organs, chromosomes, or hormones, may not align with what is usually expected for males or females.

So, if we think about it like a puzzle, most people's physical traits fit neatly into two categories: male or female. But for intersex people, their bodies may have some pieces that don't fit perfectly into just one category. It's like having a puzzle piece that has both red and blue colors, and just doesn't quite fit into either the red or the blue sections of the puzzle.

Intersex is not a disease or something that needs to be fixed. It is simply a natural variation in human biology. Just like being left-handed or having freckles, being intersex is just another way that our bodies can be different.

It's important to remember that being intersex is not something that we can always see just by looking at someone. It's a personal and private aspect of a person's life. Just like we wouldn't go around asking people about their eye color or shoe size, we should treat someone's intersex status with respect and keep it private unless they choose to share it themselves.