Interconnected UK
Peer support, awareness and advice for intersex people, people with variations in sex characteristics and their loved ones.
Straight intersex people
Intersex is about the body, not attraction: what that means, health questions and where to get support.
Intersex describes bodies: people born with sex characteristics, such as chromosomes, hormones or anatomy, that don't fit typical definitions of male or female. It says nothing about who someone is attracted to. Many intersex people are straight: an intersex woman attracted to men, or an intersex man attracted to women.
Straight intersex people are part of the I in LGBTQIA+ because of their bodies, not their orientation. Some intersex people feel at home in LGBTQ+ spaces; others don't, and both are fine.
Intersex is not a gender identity
As LGBT Health and Wellbeing puts it, intersex people may identify as men, women, non-binary or something else. Most identify as men or women. See intersex for the basics.
Relationships and disclosure
Straight intersex people often describe one particular worry: when, or whether, to tell a partner. There's no rule. Some people tell early, some much later, and some variations never come up. Peer support from people who've been there can help a lot.
DSD Families
A UK charity, founded by two parents in 2011, supporting young people and families affected by differences of sex development.
Health and fertility
Some intersex variations affect fertility, hormones or long-term health; many don't. Questions that often come up for straight couples include contraception, fertility treatment and adoption.
Blackpool and Lancashire Sexual Health Service (Whitegate)
The NHS sexual health service for Blackpool and Lancashire, with its main Blackpool clinic at Whitegate Health Centre.
Adoption Lancashire and Blackpool
The regional adoption agency for Lancashire and Blackpool, which welcomes enquiries from LGBTQ+ people thinking about adopting.
- The Blackpool and Lancashire Sexual Health Service at Whitegate Health Centre offers contraception and sexual health care to everyone.
- Your GP can refer you to a specialist NHS service for differences of sex development (DSD).
- Adoption Lancashire and Blackpool welcomes enquiries from everyone thinking about adopting.
Talking it through
Finding out you're intersex, especially as an adult or after fertility tests, can be a shock.
Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
A free national listening and information line, by phone, chat and email, staffed by LGBTQIA+ volunteers.
Samaritans Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre
The local branch of Samaritans, part of the free, confidential listening line open 24 hours a day on 116 123.
Awareness dates
Intersex Awareness Day is 26 October; the Intersex Day of Remembrance is 8 November.
More
Sources
Straight people in the community: more pages
Straight peoplePart of the quarter like everyone else: how equality law applies to all, what research says about bias, and where to get advice.AlliesYou're welcome here. How to be a good guest, groups for family and friends, and allies at work.Straight trans peopleBeing trans is about gender, not attraction: meaning, myths, and support for you and your partner.Every identityThe full list, the long acronyms and UK law.