Loading...
Queering the Conversation: The Medicalization of Intersex and Variations of Sexual Development
Private Location (register to display)
Registration
Registration is now closed (this event already took place).
Details
Title of Talk: "(Un)defining Sex: The Medicalization of Intersex and Variations of Sexual Development"
Synopsis: While we frequently conceive of sex in strictly binary terms, in actuality, human anatomy and physiology are far more complex. This presentation provides an overview of contemporary topics related to intersex and variations of sexual development (VSD), terms that can be used to describe individuals with a less common combination of chromosomes, anatomy, gonads, and/or hormones that are typically used in assigning sex at birth. From a historical perspective, Dr. Ferrara will discuss how variations of sexual development became understood as a medical "problem." They will also address contemporary conversations about healthcare equity within and beyond the intersex justice movement.
Bio: Dr. Mel Ferrara (pronouns: they/them) is a Lecturer in Writing and Humanities for the Freshman Experience Program at Stevens Institute of Technology. They recently graduated from the University of Arizona with a Ph.D. in Gender and Women's Studies and minor in Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory. During graduate school, Mel was selected as a Point Foundation Scholar and was a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (GFRP). Mel's research and teaching interests include feminist science and technology studies, trans and intersex studies, medical humanities, and feminist disability studies. Their dissertation specifically examined the biomedicalization of 47,XXY/Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) and its impact on the experiences of individuals with 47,XXY/KS and their families.