Intersex, in humans and other animals, describes variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, or genitals that, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies".
Intersex people and themes appear in numerous television episodes. Representations have often lacked realism, and in some cases described as stigmatizing or garbage by intersex advocates, with some examples of "everyday social types" but many cases of medical dilemmas, murderers, and ciphers for discussions about sex and gender.
Intersex representations in drama.
Intersex people have been portrayed in fiction as monsters, murderers and medical dilemmas. Canadian sociologist Morgan Holmes, a former activist with the (now defunct) Intersex Society of North America describes fictional representations of intersex people as monsters or ciphers for discussions about sex and gender. Academic and filmmaker Phoebe Hart suggests that television representations of intersex people fulfil "sensational and unsubtle" stereotypes: the Australian drama "All Saints" portrayed a woman with androgen insensitivity syndrome as both "superwoman" and "genetic glitch", while "Grey's Anatomy" failed to adequately inform audiences about intersex in an episode that explored gender identity and medical disclosure. Hart highlights "Faking It" and "Freaks and Geeks" for presenting realistic characters, or everyday social types. She suggests that other television representations have been more controversial, and sometimes potentially harmful.
"Renascer".
In the original 1993 version of the Brazilian soap opera "Renascer", Buba, played by Maria Luísa Mendonça, was an intersex character who got involved with José Inocêncio's children. At the time, the term "hermaphrodite" was used to describe Buba's variation.
In the 2024 remake of "Renascer", the character Buba was reimagined as a trans woman, played by Gabriela Medeiros. This change generated controversy, especially within the intersex community, who felt that the representation of intersex people was being made invisible. The author Bruno Luperi explained that the decision to change the character was to broaden the discussion on gender issues and give more visibility to trans experiences. In addition, the plot included an intersex child, Teca's daughter, to address intersex issues from childhood.
Documentary episodes.
Intersex was discussed on British TV for the first time in 1966, and became a topic of interest for broadcast TV and radio in the United States and other countries from 1989.
Drama episodes.
An intersex murderer plot twist trope has been repeated in the TV programs "Nip/Tuck" (Quentin Costa), "Janet King", and "Passions" (Vincent Clarkson). Examples of a medical dilemmas trope include the 2010 "Childrens Hospital" episode "Show Me on Montana", the 2012 "Emily Owens, M.D." episode "Emily and... the Question of Faith", a 2009 episode of "House" entitled "The Softer Side", and "Masters of Sex" episode 3 in season 2, "Fight".
The MTV series "Faking It" marked the first intersex series regular in a TV show, Lauren Cooper, and also the first intersex character played by an intersex person, Raven.
"All Saints".
Season 9 of Australian medical drama "All Saints" included a woman with androgen insensitivity syndrome in an episode entitled "Truth Hurts".
"Children's Hospital".
In the 2010 "Childrens Hospital" episode "Show Me on Montana", Drs. Flame and Maestro try to convince an intersex child which gender to choose, with each doctor vying for their own gender.
"Emily Owens, M.D.".
The 2012 "Emily Owens, M.D." episode "Emily and... the Question of Faith" featured an intersex baby.
"Faking It".
In the first 2014 episode of "Faking It", "The Morning Aftermath", one of the main characters, Lauren, is revealed to be intersex.
"Freaks and Geeks".
In the 2000 "Freaks and Geeks" episode "The Little Things", Ken has to deal with the discovery that his girlfriend had been born with ambiguous genitalia.
"Friends".
"The One with the Rumor", season 8 episode 9 sees a rumor spread that Rachel is a "hermaphrodite". ISNA described the episode as "degrading".
"House".
In the 2009 episode of House entitled "The Softer Side", a teenager with genetic mosaicism that is unaware of his (the gender his parents choose for him) condition develops dehydration and is admitted to Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.
"Janet King".
The character Peta was revealed as intersex in the final episode of the second series of Janet King.
"Masters of Sex".
"Masters of Sex" episode 3 in season 2, "Fight", sees Bill Masters delivers an intersex infant. The circumstances of the infant are used as a plot device for Masters to question the nature of masculinity.
"The New Normal".
"The Goldie Rush", episode 12, uses a person born intersex as an object of derision during a flashback sequence of failed dates.
"Nip/Tuck".
"Nip/Tuck" season 3 featured the character Quentin Costa, revealed to be man with 5-alpha-reductase deficiency. It used an intersex variation and plot device of incest that were previously employed in the book "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides.
"Offspring".
"Offspring" season 7 has a character revealed to have Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser syndrome.
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