Intersex and Transgender: Adversary to Advocacy

Sex identity and gender identity of any person are two different things. Both these terms are closely related but not the same. Turning on these two terms we have people in our society such as Intersex and transgender. These categories of people are usually understood through the lens of medical pedagogy and therefore face separate issues. Their experiences should not be conflated where one group faces the challenge of ambiguous genitalia and other rejects inscribed sex of birth. Despite the differences both these groups challenge the traditional binary understanding and teachings of sex and gender. This piece of work is an attempt to make readers aware of every little nuance and bring into notice reinforcement of the binary view by law and medicine. By reviewing available accounts this paper marks how this support of law and medicine to assumptions binary system gave birth to societal differences, prejudices, and stigma against intersex and transgender people. It also highlights the activism and rising advocacy by the supporting groups and NGO’s for the rights of intersex and transgender people.  Keywords: sex, gender, intersex, transgender, activism, advocacy.