Intersex Clients: Biomedical, Ethical And Psychological Considerations

Catalog description

It is postulated than anywhere between 1 in 1500 and 1 in 2000 children born have a disorder of sexual development (DSD). Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions (or DSDs) in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy or biology that differs from stereotypical female (i.e. vagina, uterus, breast development and menstruation during puberty and estrogen as primary sex hormone) or male (i.e. penis, testicles and testosterone as primary sex hormone). The purpose of this course is to introduce psychology students to what intersex people face, medically, socially and psychologically. This course will help emerging clinicians confront their biases, particularly around sex, gender and disability. Topics covered in this one day workshop include: (1) the differences/similarities between sex, gender identity, and gender expression (2) the contemporary language used by the intersex community (3) the social, psychological, and medical aspects of being intersex (4) ethical perspectives of medical and psychological treatment of intersex patients (6) introduction to the diversity of disorders of sexual development (7) application of LGBTQI affirmative psychodynamic/depth theory to clinical work with intersex clients.