Our communities rarely talk about or even understand intersex which is a part of our ‘LGBTI’, so it may as well stand for ‘invisible’. There are more intersex people out there than you think -the statistics show that almost 2% of the general population is intersex.

One problem is that intersex is often confused with transgender and therefore mistakes are made in social environments, counselling and at times even medically. This can have profound implications for those who of ten might themselves even be quite confused.

Being transgender is very different to intersex. Trans people have a brain and body that do not match. Intersex people are usually born with anatomical differences so they might have the genitals of both sexes which can be either internal or external. They can be male and female at the same time, or neither male nor female. Babies and children are of ten forced into one gender or another through surgery and other treatment. I’ve worked with a number of intersex people who have had childhood operations which have left them with some terrible medical and aesthetic problems which has left them with issues in relationships, and has also led to self loathing and psychological disorders. Many have had a lifetime of confusion about which gender they are until they identify as intersex.

The one thing that is important for us in our communities is to not assume any thing about anyone. A person may be trans or intersex and at the same time same sex attracted or straight, both or neither. Although it can be confusing, it doesn’t matter, the point is to accept the person for who they are no matter how different they might be to you. The more we warmly embrace the full spectrum of diversity in our communities, the closer we get to create a space where everyone can feel safe and accepted.

The Intersex In Australia website is a great source of information and well worth checking out www.oiiaustralia.com

Paul Martin is the Principal Psychologist at the Centre for Human Potential. www.cfhp.com.au