Even before we get to Edeyn's very correct criticism of Zoe Brain's scrambled descriptions of intersex conditions, is a far more basic issue.

While the concept might be counter-intuitive to the general population, intersex conditions are NOT transsexualism. While to the layman, anything that makes boys into girls must have something in common, this is simply not true. Further, in my humble opinion, munging over the difference, as Zoe Brain does by including intersex conditions in her explanation of transsexualism, does a great disservice both to transsexuals and to the intersexed.

Here's why. The DSM-IV includes transsexuals, but not the intersexed.

Transsexuality is a psychological issue, at least in the way the infrastructure now handles it. Whether it's organic or developmental or whatever is still being roundly debated in some circles, although the science is clearly pointing to it either being organic or at such an early developmental stage that it might as well be organic. The societal and legal aspects of it are in some cases quite brutal, depending on where you live and what jurisdiction you are in. Many people in the general population bring in moral and religious arguments contending that it's voluntary and perverted. The medical community will treat it only after extensive psychiatric evaluation establishes the existence of the condition in an individual.

Intersex conditions, on the other hand, are "purely" medical, at least in the diagnosis. Either a gross chromosome imaging, as in the case of Klinefelter's and its variants, or CAIS, or more specific testing as in the case of PAIS and other conditions. No psychiatrist. No year of real-life-test. No "moral objections" should affect it's diagnosis or treatment. I realize that this is a wishful thought on my part, what with some states even denying evolution in their science classes, but medical ethics as promulgated by the AMA, should at least make its diagnosis possible everywhere.

As for intersex treatment, some real horrors go on in its name, at least for infants. Universally, even in the deepest bible-belt, or maybe more so in the deepest bible-belt, parents of grossly intersex babies are routinely "offered", or pressured into, surgery on their newborn "monster" to "clean them up." Babies with indeterminate external sex organs, or signs of more than one, are too-often mutilated for life in the name of "avoiding confusion." (For more on this issue, please visit ISNA.ORG online, one of the best places to start for loads of information on the subject of intersex conditions.)

Intersex children, adolescents and adults have a great legal argument when it comes time to choosing their gender, if they so choose. Scientifically, and medically, they are neither gender, or both, or perhaps simply and provably not the gender on their birth certificate. They are in a position to legally argue their sexing at birth, force courts to change it, demand medical treatment for their birth defects, wave their genes in the face of the god's-image-fire-and-brimstone crowd ("GIFAB"), and avoid the entire psychiatric rigamarole.

Why is it important for them to be able to do this, and to get special legal treatment if they can? Well, besides the obvious reason that they are entitled to it... if they can be treated with respect and appropriate medical care, it might make it easier further down the road for transsexuals to get respect and treatment, too. In a sense, the rights of the intersexed might be a wedge which can be used to break the grip of the GIFABers on legislatures, courts, and county medical societies.

As for the intersexed, perhaps some day in the not too distant future, being classified as neither M nor F might be legally an option, on birth certificates, drivers licenses and census forms. Even then, of course, societal pressure and personal desire will make most people want to choose M or F if it's an option to them.