Hermaphrodite

“Hermaphrodite” is an outdated and today widely regarded as discriminatory medical term for intersex people. It is no longer used in modern medical language. Instead, terms such as intersex or inter are used, depending on context and personal self-designation.

It is important not to apply the term to endosex people and to respect the self-description of the person concerned. Some intersex people nevertheless use shortened or reclaimed forms such as “Herm” as a positive self-designation within their own identity. In any case, the context should be handled sensitively, as historical terms are often burdened and may trigger different reactions.