Uses of the psychosocial in the treatment and research of intersexualities/DSD

Abstract

From a medical point of view, “sexual ambiguity” in new born babies has been categorized as a psychosocial emergency, which sets in motion a diagnostic and interventional protocol –both surgical and hormonal- in order to “determine” the sex and “correct” the body. From social and critical perspectives, it’s preferred to speak about sexual variability , that is, about sexed bodies that don’t fit into the dualistic expectations of what is considered a suitable for a man’s or a woman’s body, or in which the different sex components – chromosomal, hormonal, gonadal, or anatomic- are not consistent. In the last decades a strong controversy around intersexuality and the need to change not only the medical management, but also the social models, and the representation of the dualistic collective imagination, has arisen. Nevertheless there seems to be a wide gap between the medical management contexts and languages, and those typical of the political and human rights movements. Bioethical considerations, the role of support groups, and the possible social interventions may open channels of intervention and bridges for dialogue and translation among these isolated spaces. In this sense, this paper intends to analyze the meanings, uses, and practices of the psychosocial in the treatment and research of the intersexualities/DSD in order to explore up until what point there is a “psychosocial turn” taking place, or are we still in a predominantly biomedical management paradigm.