Don’t Call Me Cis

I often see trans activists and their allies laughing at the idea that not everyone has a “gender identity”, so I’m going to tell you a story that proves it. This will also explain a bit about my condition so it’s quite personal. Then we’ll see who’s laughing.   Okay, so my condition (MRKH) isn’t usually evident at birth. On […]

Is Sex a Spectrum? Sex Determination and Differentiation

Right, we’re still struggling with the idea that there’s only two sex classes and that intersex people do not prove the ability to change sex, or do not exist on a spectrum. So, let’s look at sex determination and differentiation…   Sex is determined at the point of conception. This is known as primary (or gonadal) […]

Statistics and Semantics: Is Intersex “as common as red heads”?

Today we’re going to talk statistics and semantics. I’m going to do so via the medium of one of social media’s favourite stats 1.7% (aka “intersex is as common as red heads.”). The statistic comes from Fausto-Sterling’s work, which you can see a review of here.  To understand the statistic, we have to drill down into what the meaning of the word “intersex” is. Most […]

Do Intersex Women Have Penises?

Do intersex women have penises? I’m seeing this thrown around a lot, so let’s address it. Firstly, as ever, let’s all remember that intersex is not the same as trans, and the conflation is harmful and ignorant. Now let’s get on with some science…   I’m not even really sure what people mean when they talk […]