#h slur

[identitty-dickruption]

because this always comes up:

the word hermaphrodite is a slur when used to talk about human beings

it is also inaccurate to describe (most, if not all) intersex people in that way

“true hermaphrodite” is sometimes still used to describe someone with ovotesticular syndrome. it is up to an individual person whether or not they choose to refer to themselves in that way

also ovotesticular syndrome is one of the less common intersex variations

intersex people will sometimes choose to reclaim the word, but many of us prefer not to use it

if you are not intersex stop using the word hermaphrodite to refer to human beings

#intersex #h slur #pride #queer

[skelejon]

Okay so. I see a lot of uninformed people in the intersex tag so here's a little bit of information about being intersex.

We are not 'biologically nonbinary', it's actually fairly rare for us to be assigned X at birth, the majority of us are given an assigned sex.

Intersex is a catch-all for a huge number of variations, so there is no singular 'intersex body', in fact a large number of us do not have ambiguous genitalia.

You cannot transition to become intersex. You can transition to have a mix of sex characteristics. The current most accepted word for this I've seen is Salmacian. Because intersex is an umbrella term for many many variations and conditions, saying this is similar to saying you'd like to transition to being autistic or having EDS.

A lot of us go through medical abuse in childhood, including forced hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgeries, often as infants. I, for example, was forced onto estrogen as a teenager. This is something we are still fighting to make illegal without impacting trans youths access to treatment.

Not every intersex person is trans. Just like everyone else, we can be cis or trans or feel a mix of the two. Some of us are just intersex and aren't interested in further labels.

Being intersex is not really that rare. Most estimates put it about as common as red hair or green eyes. Some estimates even higher.

And finally, because I am genuinely stunned by the amount of people that don't know this. Hermaphrodite is an intersexist slur. You should not be using it if you are not intersex.

That concludes my post. Good faith questions are welcomed, and it's easy to find more information through places like interACT and the (albeit outdated) ISNA website.

#intersex #lgbtqia #lgbt #lgbtq #h slur #anyone can rb this but PLEASE only intersex ppl add on

[trans-axolotl2]

I've been reading Cripping Intersex by Celeste Orr and one concept that I think is absolutely crucial and one of the best resources I've found for understanding my own experiences as an intersex person is the term Compulsory Dyadism.

Dr. Orr coins the term: "I propose the expression 'compulsory dyadism' to describe the instituted cultural mandate that people cannot violate the sex dyad, have intersex traits, or 'house the spectre of intersex' (Sparrow 2013, 29). Said spectre must be, according to the mandate, exorcised. However, trying to definitively cast out the spectre via curative violence always fails. The spectre always returns: a new intersex baby is born; one learns that they have intersex traits in adulthood; and/or medical procedures cannot cast out the spectre fully, as evidenced by life-long medical interventions, routines, or patienthood status. And the effects of compulsory dyadism haunt in the form of disabilities, scars, memories, trauma, and medical regimens (e.g., HRT routines). Compulsory dyadism, therefore, is not simply an event or a set of instituted policies but is an ongoing exorcising process and structure of pathologization, curative violence, erasure, trauma, and oppression." (Orr 19-20).

They continue on in their book to explore compulsory dyadism as it shows up in medical interventions, racializing intersex + sports sex testing, and eugenic and prenatal interventions on intersex fetuses. This term makes so much sense to me and puts words to an experience I've been struggling to comprehend--how can it be that so many endosex* people express such revulsion and fear of intersex bodies and traits, yet at the same time don't even know that intersex people exist? Why is it that people understand when I refer to my body in the terms used by freak shows, call myself a hermaphrodite, remember bearded ladies and laugh at interphobic jokes--yet do not even know that intersex people are as common as redheads? Understanding the term compulsory dyadism elucidates this for me. Endosex people might not comprehend what intersex actually is or know anything about our advocacy, but they do grow up in a cultural environment that indoctrinates them into false ideas about the sex binary and cultivates a fear of anything that lies outside of it.

From birth, compulsory dyadism affects every one of us, whether you're intersex or not. Intersex people carry the heaviest burden and often the most visible wounds that compulsory dyadism inflicts, as shown through often the very literal scars of violent, "curative" surgery, but the whole process of sex assignment at birth is a manifestation of compulsory dyadism. Ideas entrenched in the medical system that assign gender to the hormones testosterone and estrogen although neither of those hormones have anything to do with gender, a society that starts selling hair removal products to girls at puberty, and the historical legacy of things like sexual inversion theory are all manifestations of compulsory dyadism. For intersex people, facing compulsory dyadism often means that we are subjected to curative violence, institutionalized medical malpractice that sometimes includes aspects of ritualized sexual abuse, and means that we are left "haunted by, for instance, traumatic memories, acquires body-mind disabilities, an ability that was taken, or a 'paradoxical nostalgia....for all the futures that were lost' (Fisher 2013,45)." (Orr 26).

Compulsory dyadism works in tandem with concepts like compulsory able-bodiedness and compulsory heterosexuality to create mindsets and systems that tie together ideas to suggest that the only "normal" body is a cisgender one that meets capitalist standards of function, is capable of heterosexual sex and reproduction, and has chromosomes, hormones, genitalia, reproductive system, and sex traits that all line up. Part of compulsory dyadism is convincing the public that this is the only way for a body to function, erasing intersex people both by excluding us from public perception and by actively utilizing curative violence as a way to actively erasure intersex traits from our body. Compulsory dyadism works by getting both the endosex and intersex public to buy into the idea that intersex doesn't exist, and if it does exist then it needs to be treated as a freakshow, either exploiting us to put us on display as an aberration or by delegating us to the medical freakshow of experimentation and violence.

Until we all start to fully understand the many, many ways that compulsory dyadism is showing up in our lives, I don't think we're going to be able to achieve true intersex liberation. And in fact, I think many causes are tied into intersex liberation and affected by compulsory dyadism in ways that endosex people don't understand. Take the intense revulsion that some trans people express about the thought of medical transition, for example. Although transitioning does not make people intersex and never will, and the only way to be intersex is to have an intersex variation, I think that compulsory dyadism affects a lot more of that rhetoric than is expressed. The disgust I see some people talking about when they think about medical transition causing them to live in a body that has XX chromosomes, a vagina, but also more hair, a larger clitoris--I think a lot of this rhetoric is born in compulsory dyadism that teaches us to view anything that steps outside the sex dyad with intense fear and violence. I'm thinking about transphobic legislation blocking medical transition and how there's intersex exceptions in almost every one of those bills, and how having an understanding of compulsory dyadism would actually help us understand the ways in which our struggles overlap and choose to build meaningful solidarity, instead of just sitting together by default.

I have so much more to say about this topic, and will probably continue to write about it for a while, but I want to end by just saying: I think this is going to be one of the most important concepts for intersex advocacy going into the next decade. With all due respect and much love to intersex activists both current and present,I think that it's time for a new strategy, not one where we medicalize ourselves and distance ourselves from queer liberation, not one where we sort of just end up as an add on to LGBTQ community by default, not even one where we use a human rights framework, nonprofits, and try to negotiate with the government. I agree with so much of what Dr. Orr says in Cripping Intersex and I think the intersex and/as/is/with disability framework, along with these foundational ideas for understanding our own oppression with the language of compulsory dyadism and curative violence, are providing us with the tools to start laying a foundation for a truly liberatory mode of intersex community building and liberation.

*Endosex means not intersex

Endosex people, please feel free to reblog!

#personal #actuallyintersex #intersex #curative violence #compulsory dyadism #intersexism #interphobia #medical abuse tw #h slur #igm tw #disability studies #actually disabled

[hiiragi7]

Saw your post on "casual intersexism", and while they're all good points, I did have questions about one- the "casual use of the word hermaphrodite". I know that calling a human person that is both wrong and rude, but is it a word that should be avoided entirely, including in scientific/nonhuman context? IE, talking about hermaphroditic snails, made up alien species, etc. This is a genuine question, because I know any word can be used offensively in the right context... but is this one of those, or one that just shouldnt be used..?

It's... complicated. Everyone in the intersex community has a different opinion on this.

My thoughts are that if a species is actually hermaphroditic and that is the most accurate terminology, then in a strictly biological context it may be fine and I do not consider that to be "casual use" as it is used in a scientific context. However, there are also more specific biological words that may be both more accurate and more specific to what is being talked about, so be sure you're saying what you think you are saying and using the proper terminology if it's actually a conversation about biology. Too many people I see will claim they are using the word hermaphrodite to talk about biological features and then just use it completely wrong anyway. Due to this, in my opinion, the use of the word in this context should probably just mainly be left to biologists or people who are otherwise very educated in this area...

Also, if we are talking biology, hermaphrodite is not a "more scientific term" for intersex, they are not interchangeable and in a biological sense they are completely different concepts altogether, so please keep this in mind too. Way too often I will see the furry community or fanfiction writers who do not know this and will just throw around the word hermaphrodite as if it is just a biological term to describe sex similar to how female or male is used when it is not.

Related to that, I do not believe it is appropriate to call OCs or characters hermaphrodites. These are characters/species created from the mind of a human being and therefore are subject to human biases and stereotypes, and I have never in my life seen "hermaphrodite OCs" done respectfully, if they even can be. This may be related to how the character's entire biology is based off of a fetishized slur, but in my experience they are always stereotypes and always fetishizing. These characters are also anthropomorphic in a way in which calling them hermaphrodites is... extremely uncomfortable and absolutely fuels intersexism.

I am strongly of the opinion that anyone who is so drawn to the label of hermaphrodite as to use it in this way has some shit to unpack, because it is admittedly fucking weird to use a slur to define your character's biology or species.

This is just my thoughts as a singular intersex person, also. Again, this topic is one that nobody in the intersex community fully agrees on and you'll find a lot of different people with a lot of different opinions and it is worth listening to what they have to say. Don't just listen to me alone, I'm just a random asshole on the internet, find what other intersex people have to say too. We aren't a monolith and all that.

#intersex #intersexism #h slur

[gayvampyr]

she just never knows when to shut the fuck up. hun put the typewriter down, your 15 minutes are over

#you’re obsolete #seriously does she even hear herself #r/pe tw #sa ment #jkr #transphobia #twitter #tweets #undescribed #no id #intersexism #racism #h slur #death threats #ableism

[lewdityiota]

hey PSA cuz seeing people in the DOL fandom use it so casually is driving me up the wall:

Hermaphrodite is an intersexist slur

If you’re not intersex, you should not be using that word to describe your character. (“Herm” too)

The fact it’s in the game in the first place is already :/ but at the very least I’d hope the fandom would be a bit more sensitive. Just call your PCs intersex instead. Thanks.

#disclaimer I’m perisex I’m just repeating what intersex people have told me #dol #degrees of lewdity #h slur

[sunlitmcgee]

guys be real with me did I come off too mean or accusatory here or was this. fair and honest

also the bit about it being okay to sexualize him being chubby refers to like. him being fat and Hot. like I'm trying to ask people not to be Weird about him being intersex while gently showing all the other things abt them that are hot and sexy and fun to talk about as such......idk I'm just worried I came off in a weird way here...

#h slur #i think that will help people filter #i rlly hate how fa has that word #as an option in so many filters #i mean i get WHY #because most people don't know it's a slur #i didn't until a few years ago! #but still...it makes me sad/annoyed

[intersex-swag-showdown]

Hi, u said ur Intersex. If i may ask, Do u prefer the word Hermaphrodite cuz of it being beautiful sounding n the story behind it or the more recent n biological "Intersex" ?

this is the funniest ask i've ever received thank you so much for your curiosity

to answer, intersex is the accepted term for our community, as the word hermaphrodite holds a lot of stigma and continues to he used as a slur. i personally like to reclaim it, so i would call myself either term, but it would be inappropriate for me or anyone else to call a random intersex person that word without their permission.

#h slur #intersex #asks

[identitty-dickruption]

there’s this misunderstanding going around that “hermaphrodite” is the scientific term, and “intersex” is the social/identity term. this probably comes from learning about hermaphroditic animals. so here we go again:

humans can’t really be hermaphrodites, because we can’t have two functioning sets of sex organs. no human can BOTH impregnate and be impregnated

there is still an intersex variation that is sometimes called “true hermaphroditism”, but this is an inaccurate term, so is not in common medical use

the more accepted medical terminology is Disorders of Sex Development (DSD). this is also a controversial term, as it pathologises intersex variations and makes it seem like we’re always “disordered” for being intersex

so, in a way, “intersex” is the community term for having a so-called DSD, but that’s also changing in some spaces. I would always rather people refer to me as an intersex person rather than anything else

once again, hermaphrodite is a slur that has a particular history of being used against intersex people (as well as being used against trans women in some parts of the world). you should never use it to refer to a HUMAN BEING unless they ask you to do so

hope this makes sense!

#intersex #h slur #queer

[skelejon]

Hermaphrodite Pride Flag (Reclaimed)

Flag 1 [Source] | Flag 2 [Source] - These are the oldest flags for the reclaimed use of hermaphrodite as a self identifier that I can find (dating back to 2015) and I thought it was a shame that they seemed so unknown as I think they look great. - These flags are, as stated by the original uploader, free for any intersex person that reclaims the term to use. - Note: I have tried to add image descriptions, but if anyone has any better/more accurate ones I'll update them. Please tag any reblogs with 'h slur' and 'h slur reclaimed' so folks can block as needed.

#intersex #pride flag #h slur reclaimed #h slur #hermaphrodite #reclaimed slur #lgbtpride #lgbtq #lgbt #lgbtqia #mogai safe #liom safe #queer

[amanita-rubescens]

Interesting how Crowley considers his own "h*rmaphroditism" — reflected in his mind — to make him a better philosopher!

(Highly reminiscent of that quote from Dune where Paul says being the Kwisatz Haderach places him at "the fulcrum" between male and female.)

#aleister crowley #dune #gender #androgyny #h slur #being genderqueer in a gender essentialist way since queer theory isn't a thing yet #quote is from his ''autohagiography'' btw #op

[julietianboy]

-> hermaphrodite slur reclaimed flag

[ ID 1: a flag with five horizontal stripes, in the following colors: light indigo, indigo, yellow, dark red and light red. /End ID ]

[ ID 2: a flag with six horizontal stripes, in the following colors: light indigo, indigo, yellow, dark red, light red and light orange. /End ID ]

- a flag for intersex people who reclaim the slur "hermaphrodite", which is commonly defined as "someone who has male and female sexual characteristics, usually clearly, combined".

it's been historically used in a very derogatory way towards intersex people, and is also usually seen as an inaccurate way to define the entire spectrum of intersex experiences. however, some intersex people may want to reclaim this slur and describe themselves with it, for whatever reason, and that's why this flag was made. (Though you don't need to use the flag to reclaim it, obviously)

- disclaimer: exclusive to intersex people.

#thed.flags #hermaphrodite #hermaphrodite flag #intersex #h slur #h slur tw #h slur reclaimed #h slur reclaimed tw #liom #liom safe #liom flag #liom community #lgbtqia+ #lgbtqia

[trans-axolotl]

Intersex Terminology Guide

Hi everyone! I thought I'd make a guide of basic intersex vocabulary and definitions. I will link to sources when relevant!

intersex: "A difference in sex traits, that happens on its own, and is noticeable enough to cause stigma or violence for breaking an anatomical expectation. " -Hans Lindhal, intersex activist.

"Intersex is an umbrella term for differences in sex traits or reproductive anatomy. Intersex people are born with these differences or develop them in childhood. There are many possible differences in genitalia, hormones, internal anatomy, or chromosomes, compared to the usual two ways that human bodies develop."- InterACT

Intersex variation: A specific variation and diagnosis such as Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, Turner's Syndrome, or Klinefelter's Syndrome. Here's a link to a glossary of many common intersex variations!

Intersexism/dyadism/interphobia: A term to describe intersex oppression. Intersex oppression is rooted in ableism, and manifests through things like medical abuse, harassment, sexual violence, stigma, and pathologization. Here is one working definition for intersexism: "Intersexism is a type of ableism; ableism that is influenced by and rooted in the cisheteronormative idea of how a man or woman needs to function. This “function” is a construct of what settler-colonialism and capitalism see as the most effective way to use gender as exploitation and extraction of profit."-written by Mod Stev of @intersex-support.

Intersex Surgery/Intersex genital mutilation: A term to describe a category of genital surgeries that happen at birth. These surgeries are cosmetic and not medically necessary, and are focused on "normalizing" ambiguous genitalia and sterilization. Here's a report on intersex surgery and interviews with intersex adults. Intersex surgery is legal is almost every country.

Non consensual hormone therapy: A lot of intersex teens and adults are coerced or forced into taking hormones that they do not want to be taking. This happens to both cis and trans intersex people.

Dyadic/Perisex/Endosex: All words that mean someone who is not intersex. Whichever word people use is basically up to personal preference and community norms.

Intergender: Intergender is a gender identity for use by intersex people only. It doesn’t have one specific definition-it is used by intersex people to mean a whole variety of things. It’s used to describe the unique ways our intersex experience intersects with and influences our gender. Some people use it as a modifying term, such as calling themselves an intergender man or woman, as a way to explain the way being intersex affects their identity. Other people identify solely as intergender, and have that be their whole gender. A lot of intergender people consider themselves to be trans, but not all. Here is the intergender flag.

Ipsogender: A gender identity used by intersex people who identify as the gender they were assigned at birth, but feel that being intersex plays into their gender identity and that their experiences are not adequately described by cisgender.

Outdated terminology:

DSD: DSD stands for disorders of sex development, and is the medical term for intersex. DSD terminology was created at the intersex consensus meeting in 2005 by 50 medical experts and two intersex activists, one from ISNA. The DSD terminology shift was also created with the input of a dyadic transphobes who were involved in the shift in ISNA's intersex activism where they distanced themselves from trans and queer politics and instead allied with doctors and medicalization. Some intersex people still do use DSD terminology for themselves, but dyadic allies should avoid it.

Derogatory Language:

Hermaphrodite: This is probably the most common slur used against intersex people. It should never be said by dyadic people, and should never be said to refer to humans. Only intersex people can reclaim hermaphrodite. There is a scientific meaning to hermaphrodite when referring to animals, and dyadic people should only say it in that context and also be considerate if posting things with that word on social media. Hermaphrodite has a very violent history and is a very painful word for many intersex people. If you see someone referring to the "h slur," this is probably the slur they are referring to.

He-she: This is a derogatory term that a lot of intersex people and trans women are called. Similar to the h slur, there is a history of violence and harassment with this term, and a lot of intersex people have been negatively impacted by this term. Dyadic people should never call intersex people a "he-she." It's good to avoid typing out he-she whenever possible, and if referring to someone who uses both he/him and she/her pronouns, saying "she/he" or "him/her" pronouns is a better option.

Futanari: This is essentially the Japanese translation of the h slur. It is used with a lot of fetish content that primarily targets intersex people. Dyadic people should not call real life people "futa" and need to understand that this is an incredibly offensive term. Futanari is also not the Japanese word for intersex; a Japanese intersex activist website uses インターセックス.

other intersex people feel free to add on, or offer alternative definitions!

#personal #actuallyintersex #intersex #h slur #intersex resources #okay to reblog

[intersexfairy]

Hi! Important question to ask, is Intersex the same as being a Hermaphrodite? I might be using it wrong-

Hermaphrodite is a slur for intersex people, and an (outdated) diagnostic term for some intersex variations.

I don't know how you're using it, but it's best to use intersex when speaking of us collectively, and call individuals by the terms they want you to - since some of us do reclaim the H slur or still have it as a diagnosis.

#interasks #h slur #slur tw #hermaphrodite #intersexism

[intersex-support]

Hey hey, I'm a perisex biology major and I've recently had the issue that when trying to talk about animal sex variations that the field still commonly uses the H slur for animals - am I right in assuming this is smth intersex people don't want animal sex variations to be called either? And is there a different way to call an animal with mixed sex characteristics that you know of?

The H slur when applied to other animals is not offensive, and can be accurate (I do love to mention oysters). Since it’s not accurate for humans to have both full and functioning reproductive systems, it’s also misinformation to refer to intersex people in this way on top of it being derogatory.

It’s fine to use the accurate word for animals who have that capacity, even though sometimes it might sting to hear, context is important. One thing I don’t actually know though, is if there’s a word for animals who have varying sex characteristics that fall outside a norm in the way it happens for humans; there very well might be a term but I don’t know of it.

Hope this clarifies things for you!

#mod stev #h slur #ask to tag

[lacefuneral]

anyway in 1971 the Trans Liberation Newsletter explicitly included asexual trans people and intersex people in the trans lib movement

cw: outdated language (the intersexist H slur)

(found in the book "Transgender History" by Susan Stryker)

#jay.pdf #h slur