Paris (AFP)

The term "intersex" or "persons with variations in sexual development", on which the Ethics Committee issued an opinion on Wednesday, refers to persons with anatomical, chromosomal or hormonal characteristics that are not strictly male or female .

Most cases are related to genetic mutations, often with no family history, that affect the production of sex hormones.

The name of "hermaphrodite", once widespread, is rejected by the associations because it does not correspond to reality. This mythological being is endowed with functional male and female organs, which is not the case in nature.

The number of intersexed people, difficult to assess, depends on the criteria. Because this generic term covers a very wide variety of situations: hypertrophy or on the contrary atrophy of certain genitals or gonads (testes and ovaries), partial presence of attributes both male and female or, in a broader sense, malformations congenital (lack of descent of the testicles, inappropriate opening of the urethra in boys ...)

According to a study published in 2000 by Anne Fausto-Sterling, professor of biology at Brown University (USA), about 1.7% of the population is affected by at least one such disturbance.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights uses a range of 0.05% to 1.7% according to the experts and, to illustrate the frequency of the phenomenon, points out that the high estimate is "comparable to the proportion of people with red hair ".

In France, there are no official statistics, but some estimates suggest 200 births per year of intersex children. However, many cases of variations in sexual development are not visible at birth and appear later, especially at the time of puberty.

Moreover, the majority do not pose a problem of assignment to a sex at birth.

The term "intersex" is not to be confused with "non-binary" gender identity (people who do not identify with either the male gender or the female gender, regardless of their sexual characteristics).

To respond to the situation of "non-binaries", some countries have opened the possibility of registering a "neutral sex" in civil status. This "third sex" is accepted in countries like Canada, Australia and, since last year, Germany.

Other countries in Europe have also embarked on the path of recognition of a third genre such as the Netherlands or Austria.

In France, every individual must be attached within five days of birth to one of the two sexes, male or female. The Court of Cassation had rejected in 2017 the recognition of a "gender neutral", rejecting the request of a person born without penis or vagina despite a first favorable judgment in October 2015.

© 2019 AFP