Description

Umbrella term to denote a number of different variations in a person’s bodily characteristics that do not match strict medical definitions of female or male. 

Additional notes and information

These characteristics may be chromosomal, hormonal and/or anatomical, and may be present to differing degrees. Many variants of sex characteristics are immediately detected at birth, or even before. Sometimes these variants become evident only at later stages in life, often during puberty. While most intersex people are healthy, a very small percentage may have medical conditions that might be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Sources

European Commission (2012). Trans and Intersex People − Discrimination on the Grounds of Sex, Gender Identity and Gender Expression. European Network of Legal Experts in the Field of Gender Equality.