Intersex and Intimacy: Presenting Concerns About Dating and Intimate Relationships

The intersex label applies to individuals born with medically classified genitalia, gonads and/or chromosomes that are not solely male nor female. The intersex community must navigate the precarious world of dating and intimacy dominated by heterosexual cisgender bodies and schemas. How do intersex people approach dating and what anxieties do they experience when considering relationships with potential partners? The purpose of this research is to depathologize intersex narratives and study intersex people through the lens of social interaction in the context of intimacy. Data were collected from BodiesLikeOurs.org, a website for communication within the intersex community. From 36 original posts, content analysis identified the following themes: condition description, rejection sensitivity, sexuality and attraction, gender presentation, self-deprecation, genital appearance and function, disclosing the intersex condition, finding potential partners, and reproduction and family. Additionally, some posts were written by non-intersex individuals seeking relationship advice. The present research expands on dating anxiety research by identifying the specific set of dating anxieties experienced by intersex persons when approaching intimate relationships.