intersexual
intersexual
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "intersexual" is /ˌɪn.tərˈsɛk.ʃu.əl/.
in /ˌɪn/: The sound is made with the lips open, teeth slightly apart. The tongue is forward in the mouth, and the tip of the tongue is touching the back of the front teeth. The vocal cords vibrate.
ter /tər/: The sound is a combination of two sounds. The first sound is made by pressing the tongue against the ridge behind the teeth and then releasing a burst of air. The second sound is made with the tongue curled back and the vocal cords vibrating.
sex /sɛk/: This sound is made with the mouth slightly open and the teeth slightly apart. The tongue is in the middle of the mouth, not touching any of the teeth. Air is forced through the mouth, making a hissing sound.
u /ʃu/: This sound is made with the lips rounded and pushed forward, similar to making an "oo" sound. The tongue is high in the mouth, and the vocal cords are vibrating.
al /əl/: This sound is made by placing the tip of the tongue on the ridge behind the front teeth and making a vibrating sound. The vocal cords are also vibrating.
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: intersexual
Plural Noun: intersexuals
Adjective: intersexual
Adverb: intersexually
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A person who is born with any of several variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, or genitals that do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies.
Synonyms: intersex person, hermaphrodite (often considered outdated and offensive by some)
Antonyms: (There are no direct antonyms for this term as it describes a specific biological reality.)
Adjective
Relating to or having a mix of male and female sex characteristics, either physical or genetic.
Synonyms: intersex, hermaphroditic (often considered outdated and offensive by some)
Antonyms: monosexual, heterosexual, homosexual (These terms are not direct antonyms but describe the typical forms of sexual identity and attraction which are distinct from being intersex.)
Examples of Use
Books and Literature
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides tells the story of an intersexual character named Calliope Stephanides, exploring the social and personal challenges of growing up with a rare genetic condition (Eugenides, 2002).
In her memoir Born Both: An Intersex Life, Hida Viloria offers a first-person account of living as an intact intersex person and advocates for the rights of intersex individuals (Viloria, 2017).
Gary Jennings's historical novel Raptor features an intersexual protagonist, shedding light on how such a person might have navigated life in the late Roman and early medieval eras.
News and Online Publications
Major news outlets have published articles on legal and human rights issues affecting intersexual people, such as the debate over unnecessary surgeries on intersex infants and children.
Medical and scientific journals frequently publish studies on the biological and psychological aspects of intersexuality, often using the terms "intersexual" or "intersex variations" in their titles and abstracts.
In March 2025, an article in an online journal from Kabarak University in Kenya discussed the progress made in Kenya toward recognizing intersex people in national legal documents and the continued challenges they face in public life.
Entertainment and Media
The MTV show Faking It featured a main character, Lauren Cooper, who was revealed to be intersexual, making it one of the first television series to have a recurring intersex character.
Documentaries like Intersexion (2012) and Every Body (2023) highlight the lived experiences of intersexual people and their journeys toward self-acceptance, while advocating for broader social change.
In the 2000 episode of the TV show Freaks and Geeks, the character Amy reveals to her boyfriend that she was born intersexual, leading to a storyline that, for its time, was noted for its sensitive handling of the topic.
Public and Political Discourse
Activist organizations and human rights groups, such as Intersex Human Rights Australia and Outright International, regularly use the term in their campaigns to raise awareness and advocate for the rights and bodily autonomy of intersexual people.
In legislative discussions in various countries, lawmakers have proposed bills to protect intersex individuals from discrimination and to ensure their right to self-determination, often using the term "intersex persons" in the legal text.
The United Nations and other international bodies have held meetings and published reports on the human rights violations faced by intersexual people, with activists and experts speaking on the subject and using the term "intersexual" to describe the population.
10 Famous Quotes Using Intersexual
"I would argue further that sex is a vast, infinitely malleable continuum that defies the constraints of even five categories... For some time medical investigators have recognized the concept of the intersexual body." - Anne Fausto-Sterling
"We're a group of people whose misunderstanding of each other is only topped by people's misunderstanding of us." - Thea Hillman, in her book Intersex, which uses intersexual to describe her lived experience.
"The existence of intersexual individuals reveals the artificiality of the two-sex system." - (Attributed to Anne Fausto-Sterling, summarizing her work Sexing the Body).
"The system didn't want to say that I'm intersexual. That I'm not female or male." - Pidgeon Pagonis (from their memoir Nobody Needs to Know)
"For those born and educated after the year 2000, we will be their history, and they will be mystified by our self-important, moralistic ignorance of the principles of sexual and erotic development in childhood." - John Money, whose work frequently dealt with intersexual people.
"Not all bodies are born in male or female. There is a continuum of bodies and it seems to me that trying to persuade medical and psychiatrist establishments to deal with the intersexual involves critique of the binary gender system." - Judith Butler
"The word ‘intersexual’ is not a sexual orientation; it is a description of physical differences that are present at birth." - (Original quote)
"A decision about gender for the intersexual person should be made according to grace and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit." - A Christian theological perspective on the topic.
"It is important for parents and doctors to recognize that intersexual children, like all children, have a right to bodily integrity." - (Original quote)
"We’re not talking about something alien and from another planet, we’re talking about our neighbours and members of our families." - Milton Diamond, when discussing the prevalence of intersexual conditions.
Etymology
The word "intersexual" is a combination of two parts: the Latin prefix "inter-" and the Latin root "sexus."
Inter-: This prefix means "between," "among," or "in the midst of." You see it in many other English words like "internet," "international," and "interact."
Sexus: This is a Latin word for "sex," referring to the biological differences between male and female.
So, when you put them together, "intersexual" literally means "between sexes." This reflects the word's meaning: a condition that lies somewhere between the typical definitions of male and female.
The earliest known uses of the term "intersex" and "intersexual" began to appear in the medical and scientific literature of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used to describe individuals who were born with biological characteristics—such as chromosomes, hormones, or genitals—that did not fit neatly into the typical male or female categories. Early on, the term was often used in a purely clinical context.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Intersexual
"Intersexual rights advocate": A person who works to promote the rights and well-being of intersex people.
"Intersexual-affirming care": Medical or psychological care that respects and supports an intersex person's bodily autonomy and identity.
"Intersexual-inclusive policy": A rule or law that includes protections and recognition for intersex individuals.
"The intersexual spectrum": A phrase used to describe the wide range of biological variations that fall under the umbrella of being intersex, as opposed to a simple binary.
"Born on the intersexual continuum": A way of saying a person was born with a combination of sex characteristics that are not typically male or female.
"An intersexual journey of self-discovery": A phrase that describes the personal process of an intersex person learning about their body and identity.
"Intersexual health disparities": Refers to the health inequalities and unique medical challenges faced by intersex people.
"To live openly as an intersexual": The act of being public about one's intersex identity.
"A voice for the intersexual community": Someone who speaks on behalf of intersex people to raise awareness and advocate for their needs.
"Navigating an intersexual life": A phrase that describes the unique social, emotional, and physical challenges that come with being intersex.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of intersexual from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
