Negotiating the Constraints of Gender Binarism: Intersexuals' Challenge to Gender Categorization

Abstract

Critiques of sex/gender categorization have recently garnered significant attention, with particular emphasis on the limits of gender binarism. As an extension of this critique, I explore the social categories of sex/gender and the implications of intersexuality (hermaphroditism) as a viable and newly emerging sex/gender category. Intersex is incongruent with the predominant binary understanding of sex and gender, and thus generates the potential for social stigma and identity confusion. In the 1950s, American psychologists developed recommendations for infant sex assignment to ensure unambiguous sexual development to preclude such trauma. Recently, several groups and individuals began questioning the ethics and effectiveness of medical intervention on intersexed children. In an effort to gain empirical understanding of intersexuals' experiences and perspectives, I conducted in-depth life history interviews with 37 North American intersex adults. Similar to other research on marginality and identity, my work demonstrates that medicalization is experienced as alienating and shaming, and that individuals actively engage in forming a positive self-concept to overcome such stigmatization. Here I report the findings and implications of this research and the social challenges created by limiting sex/gender categorization.