Cultural Heritage and Religion Impact on Social Acceptance and Lives of the InterSex

Intersex/variations of sex characteristics (I/VSC) are terms that refer to bodies born with biological sex characteristics that vary from what is typically thought of as exclusively male or female. VSC differ widely from individual to individual, and statistics estimate that up to 1.7% of infants are born with these natural variations in human biology. They do not ordinarily impair life or physical health. However, social norms and cultural expectations result in a perceived ‘urgency’ to intervene medically and surgically to reshape I/VSC bodies so that they appear to be male or female. Reports suggest that such interventions in early childhood can impact negatively on the health and life of those with I/VSC. As a contribution to the recent social, medical, ethical and juridical debate on the topic, CHRISALIS is an interdisciplinary, multijurisdictional project employing qualitative epistemology and mixed-methods design to investigate the effects of ethical-moral beliefs and culture in shaping intersex experiences, bodies and healthcare in Ireland and Italy. As there is no holistic multidisciplinary understanding of I/VSC and existing guidelines vary depending on the primary perspective, this project intends to highlight yet unheard and unknown intersex experiences, in order to lay the foundation for the development of national and European Intersex policies, wider European cross-cultural studies and support the new and vibrant field of Intersex Studies.