Yes, Intersex Folks Are Welcome in Pelvic Therapy
The “I” in LGBTQIA+ stands for Intersex, and I’d make the case that intersex folks are the forgotten letter in the rainbow alphabet. Much like some trans advocates have argued for separating the “T” on the grounds that it pertains to gender rather than sexuality, being intersex doesn’t neatly fit within frameworks of sexual orientation or gender identity either. Intersex folks are born with a variety of differences in sex traits and reproductive anatomy, including variations that may involve genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormones, and more. It’s a spectrum that defies the biological binary. And despite what some politicians claim, non-binary biology is the norm across flora and fauna, humans included.
Intersex folks often live in a kind of liminal space, and sometimes aren’t even aware of their intersex characteristics until a medical event brings it to light. A person socialized as a girl may discover intersex traits when they don’t menstruate; a person socialized as a boy may notice that their erectile tissue looks different from their peers’. Even more troubling, infants and children are frequently subjected to surgeries to “normalize” their anatomy to conform to the binary before they can consent.
Intersex folks are welcome in my practice at Groove. According to intersex authors and activists, two of the most pervasive challenges in the intersex experience are a lack of recognition and deep medical trauma. I take both seriously.
To start, I plainly name that I work with intersex clients. I also aim to put power in my clients’ hands at every step. My intake form asks whether anything in a client’s anatomy falls outside of the binary, and it invites clients to share whatever words they prefer for their own body parts.
Clinically, I maintain a flexible and continuously evolving understanding of how hormones interact with anatomy, physiology, and function, including the musculoskeletal effects of hormonal differences. I work creatively and collaboratively to find solutions for pain, bowel, bladder, and sexual health concerns. I’ll validate your experience, ask permission before posing sensitive questions, approach everything with kindness, avoid assumptions, and skip medically unnecessary curiosity. I only ask what’s relevant to your concern.
My care for intersex folks is part of the same commitment I bring to trans and gender-expansive clients, people with disabilities, and everyone else under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. Biology, like gender, is not a binary. It’s a spectrum.
Intersex folks, I see you. Please reach out if you have any questions. I’m here to help.