Living with intersex/DSD

Abstract

One of the first questions asked when a baby is born is whether it is a boy or a girl. The answer to this question is almost always clear and unambiguous, but not always. Intersex/dsd is an umbrella term used to describe various congenital conditions in which the development of sex differs from what medical professionals generally understand to be ‘male’ or ‘female’. The differences may be chromosomal, gonadal or anatomical. There is growing international political attention for the position of people with intersex/dsd. At the same time, there is as yet little solid, research-based knowledge. This exploratory study documents what is currently known about the social situation of people with intersex/dsd in the Netherlands and what problems they may encounter in this regard. This exploratory study was carried out at the request of the Emancipation department of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.