Intersex Terminology Masterpost
Click the links to read more (pride flags too) and feel free to add on! All terms are intersex exclusive unless otherwise stated.
Intersex (Adj.) - A term to describe those who were born with a sex variation that led to having sex characteristics that aren’t traditionally male or female. Abbreviation is IS. Noun form is Intersexness (the word I personally use is Intersexuality). Read more here.
Dyadic (Adj.) - A term meaning “of two” used by intersex people to describe those who are not IS. Noun form is Dyad(s).
Perisex (Adj.) - A term whose prefix means “around,” “near,” used and coined by intersex people to describe those who are not IS.
Endosex (Adj) - A term whose prefix means “within" - used to describe people who are not intersex.
Juxtasex (Adj) - A term whose prefix means “close to” - used and coined by intersex people to describe those who are not IS.
Variation - A term used to refer to the cause of someone’s intersexuality. It is generally to preferred instead of condition/disorder/etc., although every intersex person is different. Variations can involve chromosomal, hormonal, and/or gonadal differences. There are some variations listed on LGBTA Wikia, the main source for this masterpost.
DSD - An abbreviation meaning either “difference of sexual development” or “disorder of sexual development.” The latter is generally considered stigmatizing.
Intersexism / Inter(sex)phobia - The discrimination, prejudice, dislike, and hatred of and towards IS people.
Dyadism - [TW] The belief that being Dyadic is normal, correct, the default, etc., and that IS people are unnatural, wrong, diseased/deformed, insignificant, etc. Can also be called Perisexism, Endosexism, or Juxtasexism.
Sex Assignment - Different from gender assignment, sex assignment is the process by which a person’s “biological sex” is determined. Everyone is assigned a sex and gender at birth, and for intersex people, sex assignment can be complicated and traumatic (see; IGM and Forced/Coerced HRT).
AXAB - Assigned “X” At Birth. For IS people who did not have a sex assigned to them at birth. A similar term is UAB.
AIAB - Assigned Intersex At Birth. For IS people whose intersexuality was recognized at birth. May be used in place of/alongside “AXAB.”
IAFAB / IAMAB - “Intersex Assigned Female At Birth” and “Intersex Assigned Male At Birth.” For IS people regardless of when their intersexuality was recognized.
CAFAB / CAMAB - “Coercively Assigned Female At Birth” and “Coercively Assigned Male At Birth.” These terms are not intersex exclusive and are generally used to underline the fact that gender assignment is nonconsensual. [TW] In the IS community these may be used to describe people who underwent IGM or other medical methods of assignment.
FAFAB / FAMAB - “Forcibly Assigned Female At Birth” and “Forcibly Assigned Male At Birth.” Used similarly to CAMAB / CAMAB in the intersex community.
IGM - [TW] Infant/Intersex Genital Mutilation. Used by IS people in reference to the surgical procedures used to alter intersex people’s genitalia/remove internal organs in order to assign or reassign our sex and/or gender.
Forced/Coerced HRT - [TW] Forced/Coerced “Hormone Replacement Treatment” is an experience that probably deserves its own name independent of HRT, however is called this due to lack of terminology. It refers to the hormones given w/o proper consent to IS people in order to make us appear dyadic. It also may be given as a result of IGM impairing or destroying organs responsible for the production of certain hormones.
Intergender - A gender that is in some form linked to being intersex. Also known as Integender or Mera. A similar identity is Amalgagender.
Inter-Aligned - A gender alignment for nonbinary IS people whose gender is aligned with being IS instead of or alongside being masc-aligned or fem-aligned.
Amalgagender - A gender that is affected by or mixed into one’s intersex identity. A specific inte®gender.
Duogender - A gender that is a combination of male and female as a result one’s intersexuality. A specific inte®gender.
Interandrogyne - A form of Androgyne that is connected or influenced by one’s intersexuality. A specific inte®gender. Similar to Duogender and not to be confused with Interandrogynous.
Divisigender - A gender that is distinct and wholly separate from male and female experienced as a result of one’s intersexuality. A specific inte®gender.
Neutroix - A gender that feels completely neutral, especially related to one’s intersexuality. Similar to Neutrois, but for intersex people only. A specific inte®gender.
Ingender - A form of Agender that is experienced as a result of one’s intersexuality. Also known as Vacagender or Intergenderless. A specific inte®gender.
Rebis - A gender that transcends the false idea of gender and sex as binaries. Not to be confused with Resbis. A specific inte®gender.
Resbis - A term to describe an intersex person who feels regularly conflicted by and is trying to reconcile with their gender identity, or who feels they have in the past struggled with their gender identity, but who has now reached a state of harmony with their gender. Not to be confused with Rebis.
Trans-Intersexual - A term for IS people who feel as if they’re both biological sexes and do not fit into the categories of “male or female.” These people fit the categories of both intersex and transgender people. Not to be confused with Transgender-Intersex.
Ipsogender - A gender modality for IS people who identify as the gender they were assigned, and may or may not identify with being cisgender due to their experiences with intersexuality, dydaism, and/or cissexism. Coined by an IS sociologist! A similar term is Advenagender. May be abbreviated as “ipso.”
Ipsofeminine - A gender modality for Ipsogender people who are of a feminine gender identity or transitioning femininely. May be abbreviated as “ipsofem.”
Ipsomasculine - A gender modality for Ipsogender people who are of a masculine gender identity or transitioning masculinely. May be abbreviated as “ipsomasc.”
Ultergender - A gender modality for IS people who do not identify as the gender they were assigned, and due to their intersexuality may or may not identify with being transgender. May be abbreviated as “ulter.”
Ulterfeminine - A gender modality for Ultergender people who are of a feminine gender identity or transitioning femininely. May be abbreviated as “ulterfem.”
Ultermasculine - A gender modality for Ultergender people who are of a masculine gender identity or transitioning masculinely. May be abbreviated as “ultermasc.”
Ulterneutral - A gender modality for Ultergender people who are of a neutral/both masc and fem gender identity or transitioning neutrally.
Transmascfem / Transfemmasc - A gender modality for people who are both transfeminine and transmasculine as a result of being UAB, AXAB, or intersex. May also be written as “Transmascfeminine” or “Transfemmasculine.”
Exparfeminine - A gender modality for IS people who relate to transfemininity despite not being AMAB. May be abbreviated as “exparfem.“
Exparmasculine - A gender modality for IS people who relate to transmasculinity despite not being AFAB. May be abbreviated as “exparmasc.”
Transgender-Intersex - A term for an IS person whose gender identity does not match the one decided on by their doctors and/or parents at birth, and identifies as transgender and intersex at the same time. Not all intersex people who are identify as trans-intersex, however. More commonly said abbreviated as “trans-intersex.”
Inter-expressive - A term to describe an IS person (who may or may not be intergender) feels that their gender expression is deeply influenced by or intrinsically linked to their intersex variation.
Intermasculine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is masculine. May be abbreivated as “intermasc.”
Interfeminine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is feminine. May be abbreviated as “interfem” or “interfemme.”
Interandrogynous - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is androgynous. May be abbreviated as “interangi.”
Interambigous - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is ambiguous. May be abbreviated as “interambi.”
Interxenine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is xenine. May be abbreviated as “interxene.”
Interoutherine - An Inter-expressive person whose gender expression is outherine. May be abbreviated as “interouther.”
XTF - A term for IS people who are transitioning femininely, regardless of whether they’re cis, trans, etc. Also can be used by transfeminine or exparfem IS people opposed to MTF.
XTM - A term for IS people who are transitioning masculinely, regardless of whether they’re cis, trans, etc. Also can be used by transmasculine or exparmasc IS people opposed to FTM.
XTX - A term for IS people who are transitioning towards gender neutrality, both masculinity & femininity, back to their “natural” bodies, or a variety of other manners, whether they’re cis, trans, etc.
Note on transition related language: An IS person may create longer this-to-that acronyms to describe their personal experience, which may refer past nonconsensual hormone “treatments.” An example of this is someone saying they’re XTFTMTX (Intersex to female to male to neutral / their natural body).
Culturally Exclusive Terms
Ay’lonit - A term from Jewish culture for AFAB individuals “who [have] not shown signs of typical female puberty” - “presumed infertile” and have masculine sex characteristics (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Saris - A term from Jewish culture for AMAB individuals “who has not shown signs of typical sexual maturity; a eunuch.” There are two types: Saris Chama and Saris Adam. (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Androgynos - A term from Jewish culture for a person possessing both male and female sex characteristics. (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Tumtum - A term from Jewish culture for “a person of indeterminate gender; one whose genitals are obscured or not clearly male or female.” (Source). Historically a term to refer to intersex people, but in modern times is used by both trans and intersex Jews.
Kathoey - A term used by people in Thailand who in English may be described as transfeminine or intersex women.
Please correct anything on here if needed! Especially the culturally exclusive terms (although please do so with appropriate sources).
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