(Un)closeted Intersex: the perception of intersexuality in contemporary medicine, society and law

The Olympic Games of 2024 brought back the interest towards an ignored topic which impacts multiple areas of our societies. The female sex of the athlete Imane Khelif was put into question and the wide public stopped to look and express their opinion. Intersexuality exists since the beginning of humanity and it was looked under different lenses through human history. This thesis aims at providing an analysis of intersexuality in the contemporary world. First of all, the development of medical practices towards intersexual children will be explored since the impact of John Money’s studies. Then, it will be attempted to provide an understanding of the slow changes in society thanks to activism and the evolution of the approach of international organizations and States towards intersexuality. Finally, by focusing on one of the first cases of an intersex person in front of the European Court of Human Rights, M v France will be analysed.