October 26, 2025, is Intersex Awareness Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about human rights issues faced by intersex individuals. In recognition of this day, we are sharing a resource to promote inclusive health communication with intersex patients.
Towards Affirmative Intersex Health Communication in Canada: An Introductory Guide for Healthcare Providers was developed by a team at McGill University and Intersex Canada.
This guide is the first of its kind tailored to the Canadian healthcare context. It serves as an introductory resource for healthcare providers to learn about accessible, supportive, and inclusive communication with intersex patients. The content is based on interviews with intersex adults and healthcare providers from diverse areas of care, as well as a comprehensive literature review.
The guide covers essential principles, including:
- Patient-centered care
- Shared decision-making
- Culturally responsive and trauma-informed care
What Does Intersex Mean?
“Intersex is an umbrella term for innate variations in the spectrum of physical sex characteristics that fall outside of binary norms for human sexual development. Sex characteristics include chromosomes, genitals, internal sex organs, hormone production and responses, and secondary features that develop during puberty. There are over 40 medical terms for specific combinations of intersex traits. Intersex variations may be identified at various stages, most commonly prenatally, at birth, during puberty, or when trying to conceive. Some variations involve specific medical needs and complications, but many do not.”
We encourage healthcare providers and allies to explore this guide for more information.