The Language of Intersex: Definitions of Sex and Gender in Research on Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Sophie Meade, Oberlin College

Location

Science Center, A254

Document Type

Presentation

Start Date

4-24-2015 1:30 PM

End Date

4-24-2015 2:30 PM

Abstract

Intersex conditions describe a variety of genetic and developmental variations that place an individual outside of the grouping of biological traits that designate someone as “male” or “female.” This project examines clinical and scientific research on the condition Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, which uses fixed criteria of language analysis to identify the factors that define gender and sex at a clinical and scientific level. Central questions of this project include: how do researchers incorporate social categories of gender into definitions of biological sex? How does their assessment of certain bodies as requiring intervention correspond with the health status of that individual?

Notes

Session 1, Panel 3 - Agency and Taxonomy: Case Studies in Ethics, Politics, and Science
Moderator: Dorit Ganson, Associate Professor of Philosophy

Major

Biology

Advisor(s)

Taylor Allen, Biology

Project Mentor(s)

Jan Thornton, Neuroscience

April 2015

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Apr 24th, 1:30 PM Apr 24th, 2:30 PM

The Language of Intersex: Definitions of Sex and Gender in Research on Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Science Center, A254

Intersex conditions describe a variety of genetic and developmental variations that place an individual outside of the grouping of biological traits that designate someone as “male” or “female.” This project examines clinical and scientific research on the condition Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, which uses fixed criteria of language analysis to identify the factors that define gender and sex at a clinical and scientific level. Central questions of this project include: how do researchers incorporate social categories of gender into definitions of biological sex? How does their assessment of certain bodies as requiring intervention correspond with the health status of that individual?