Rating responses I get to telling someone that I am intersex
(Inspired by this post about polyamory!)
“So you are nonbinary?” - Not really. Not an annoying question on its own but people will run with this misconception unless you correct them 5/10
“Omg.. is that like this super rare medical condition I heard about [describes intersex variation they saw on a medical drama]” - i don’t mind this question too much because it’s a good segway to talk about intersex rep in media. Loses points because it usually involves me being reminded of Dr. House. 6/10
“I never knew that could happen” good honest response, comes from a place of innocent ignorance. (But also reminds me of systematic intersex erasure) 7/10
“So you’re a hermaphrodite?” - yeah I guess. But that’s a slur so don’t say it. People usually just didn’t know. 5/10
“Huh I think that’s fascinating” - what am I a colorful slime mold 5/10
“You do you!! Love is love!!!!” - thanks? I’m not really doing anything. Do you understand what that word means? Kinda funny but also exhausting 6/10
“You can do whatever you want with your body just keep kids out of it.” - rightwinger transphobia brain slop alert. Also the added irony of saying this to an intersex person 2/10
“So uh..” (lip bite) “what’s your downstairs situation” - so the bulge in my pants is actually a big knife. Sometimes chasers can be funny but mostly 4/10
“I thought the correct term was DSD” - reminds me of TERFs, doctor visits, and eugenics 1/10
“I wish I was a intersex. I want to transition to be a hermaphrodite.” - AUGGHH.. so much shit wrong with this and I feel obligated to explain and then the person gets defensive and thinks I’m attacking their transness and not the intersexism 1/10
“So that’s why you look like that” - yes that is indeed why I look like that 6/10
“I thought that was made up / mythology / only in fantasy” - yeah I’m kind of like a cartoon character so I guess it checks out 6/10
“Oh cool, I’ve never met someone who was openly intersex :-)” - good response! Good acknowledging of non-open/unknowing intersex people! 10/10
“Holy shit no way me too???” - WOOOO instant new bestie 100/10
“I’m not intersex but I have [condition commonly accepted as intersex] so I relate.” - babe. Guess what. 9/10
“Is that a trans thing” - Not really but it is related. I don’t mind explaining how we’re similar but different. 5/10
“My fursona is intersex :)” - if this is coming from a perisex person, they probably mean their fursona has a penis and a vagina 3/10 - if it’s coming from an intersex person 10/10
“Oh.. I’m so sorry.. :(” - for what. It’s not a fucking disease 1/10
“Omg so you’re like a futa irl that is so hot” - watch less porn -100/10
(Not a comprehensive list!)
(I edited the post to add some I forgot!)
BTW you don’t need to say ‘yeah i guess’ to people calling you a hermaphrodite, and not just because it’s a slur. The word hermaphrodite Means A Thing biologically and that thing does not cover intersex humans.
I’m not intersex myself so I apologise if this is overstepping, but I do have an Interest in biology and learnt about this via reading about the reproductive behaviours and systems of species that do have genuinely hermaphroditic individuals. I also see a fair amount of people who should know better pointing at intersex animals (such as bilateral gynandromorph birds) and cheerfully declaring them to be 'trans’ or 'nonbinary’ or other wrong terms. I imagine that’s even more annoying for you than it is for me…