Medicalizing the gendered body: Intersex/DSD and Human Rights

Intersex and the controversial term DSD (Disorders/Divergence of Sex Development; coined in 2006) refer to numerous variations in the gendered body, from invisible elements such as genetic markers to facial hair. If we include all of the medically coded variations in the gendered body, one in every 2000 individuals (or more) is Intersex in some way. Since the 1800s Intersex variations have been increasingly subject to medical scrutiny, and from the 1950s many children with these physical variations have been subject to potentially damaging cosmetic surgery without full-disclosure and informed consent. For the majority of this medical history, Intersex medical treatment has focused on social aspects of gender appearance and behavior, while others issues that might impact the functioning of the organism appeared to be a secondary concern. In the 1990s activist groups began to protest this medical approach, attempting to bring their experience and perspectives to light. While small steps have been taken towards informing parents and patients about diagnosis and medical procedure, there is still quite a lot of controversy surrounding the subject. We will take a look at what aspects of the gendered body are subject to medical scrutiny, how this diagnostic area has expanded, and the corresponding medical protocol. We will also address what human rights concerns have been raised by patient associations and/or social activist groups.