The report, Healthcare experiences, wellbeing and mental health of people who have variations in sex characteristics in Ireland, is a sub report of the landmark Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland report, which was published in May 2024, and provides an analysis of the responses of the 31 respondents to the broader survey who identified as intersex.
The Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland report was a survey of the wellbeing and mental health of the LGBTQI+ community across Ireland.
Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a variety of conditions in which a person is born with anatomy or physiology that does not fit societal definitions of female or male.
Significant Mental Health Challenges for Intersex People
Amongst the 31 intersex people who participated in the study:
- 61% experienced moderate or severe symptoms of depression
- 68% experienced moderate or severe symptoms of anxiety
- 50% experienced moderate or severe symptoms of stress
- 38% had a possible eating disorder
- 60% had self-harmed
- 74% reported suicidal thoughts with the average age at which participants first thought of ending their own life being 14 years
- 50% had made a suicide attempt
- 50% reported that they were dissatisfied/very dissatisfied with their body
The majority of respondents (70 percent) reported that they had sought help for a mental health problem in the last five years.
Participants revealed in their responses to the research survey that they felt that there was stigma attached to having an intersex variation and that this increased the mental health problems that they experience. How others reacted to their disclosure impacted this more than living with the intersex variation, which was linked to non-acceptance and isolation, as participants felt poorly understood or acknowledged by others, as well as by society’s binary view of gender.
Participants specifically noted that binary ideas of sex and gender, and the perception that those with intersex variations need to conform to these, led to ‘corrective’ surgeries and medical interventions for some participants.
Participants reported various physical and psychological impacts from the medical interventions, including sexual and urinary difficulties, chronic pain, sleep disorders, mental health difficulties, gender dysphoria and issues related to body image. Some participants had questions around the degree to which the intervention was consensual due to a lack of information around the consequences and outcomes of the treatment, while 16 percent reported that they did not know if they had any medical intervention reflecting the lack of transparency that can exist around variations of sex characteristics and related medical treatments.
Speaking about the study findings today, Moninne Griffith (she/her), CEO of Belong To, said:
“The findings of this report are upsetting and highlight the major wellbeing and mental health challenges facing the intersex population in Ireland. Coming through strongly in the report are the mental health challenges based on the intersex variations and sexual orientation of participants, stemming in some cases from non-consensual medical interventions and cultural stigma. The findings of this sub-report show that much greater understanding of people with intersex variations is needed across society – from medical professionals to educators to friends and family.”
Also speaking on the report publication was Dr Adeline Berry (they/them), Board Member at Intersex Ireland who said:
“This report could not be timelier as anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric spreads seemingly unchecked with the rise of fascism, foretelling troubling times ahead for our communities. Recent research from the European Union shows sharp increases in violence and discrimination against intersex people, as well as transgender people.
“Because of the lack of intersex awareness in medical and mental health settings, intersex people in Ireland and elsewhere struggle to access adequate and appropriate care. Although we comprise as much as 1.7 percent of the population, we are rendered invisible through a combination of factors including stigma, shame and a lack of cultural representation, as well as secretive medical practices.”
Professor Agnes Higgins (she/her), Professor in Mental Health at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, who led the research team, said:
“Although a small sample, this study adds to the growing international body of evidence reporting high levels of mental distress among intersex adults, and now shines a light on the wellbeing of intersex people in Ireland specifically. The levels of distress across many key indicators – suicide ideation and attempts, anxiety, depression and self-harm reveal a stark need for action, including education to inform the knowledge and competence of people working in all health care settings.
“Similarly, within the domain of public policy in Ireland, intersex issues are not included in any meaningful way. This gap exacerbates the erasure of identity and inequalities for intersex people. In addition, to combat prejudice and promote inclusion, there is a need for a programme of work that focuses on the education of the general public on the experiences of intersex people, as well as more focused research in Ireland on the needs of people who have variations in sex characteristics.”
The ‘Healthcare experiences, wellbeing and mental health of people who have variations in sex characteristics in Ireland’ study can be downloaded here.