The question "What is intersex LGBT?" is best understood by breaking it down: What is intersex and how does it relate to the broader LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community? Intersex itself is not a sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather a variation in biological sex characteristics.
Understanding Intersex
- Definition: Intersex is a general term for individuals born with, or who develop naturally in puberty, biological sex characteristics which are not typically male or female. These characteristics can include variations in chromosomes, gonads, or anatomy.
Intersex and the LGBT Community
- Inclusion: The "LGBT" acronym is sometimes expanded to "LGBTI" to explicitly include intersex individuals, or to "LGBTQIA+" to include queer, intersex, asexual and more identities.
- Shared Advocacy: Intersex people often face similar societal challenges to LGBT individuals, such as discrimination and lack of legal protections. This shared experience often leads to advocacy and activism together.
- Distinction: It's crucial to understand that being intersex relates to biological sex, while being lesbian, gay, or bisexual relates to sexual orientation (attraction to others), and being transgender relates to gender identity (one's internal sense of self).
Examples of Intersex Variations
To further illustrate, here are a few examples of intersex variations:
- Variations in chromosome patterns.
- Differences in the development of internal reproductive organs (ovaries and testes).
- Atypical development of external genitalia.
Why is Intersex Included?
Intersex inclusion recognizes that:
- Intersex individuals often face discrimination based on their sex characteristics, similar to the discrimination faced by LGBT individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- The LGBT rights movement seeks to dismantle rigid binary notions of sex and gender, which directly impacts intersex individuals.
