CHRISALIS · Cultural Heritage and Religion Impact on Social Acceptance and Lives of the InterSex

Cultural Heritage and Religion Impact on Social Acceptance and Lives of the InterSex

People with variations of sex characteristics (often referred to as intersex) are born with physical traits that do not fit typical definitions of male or female bodies. Across Europe, intersex people continue to face social stigma, ethical controversy, and inconsistent policy responses, particularly in healthcare. Decisions affecting intersex bodies are frequently made early in life and are shaped not only by medical considerations, but also by cultural norms, moral values, and social expectations about sex and gender. Despite increasing international attention to intersex human rights, many public debates, policies, and clinical practices still rely on narrow biomedical or legal frameworks. These approaches often overlook the broader social, cultural, and ethical contexts in which decisions are made, as well as the lived experiences of intersex people and their families. This gap limits the effectiveness of policy reforms, professional guidelines, and awareness-raising initiatives. CHRISALIS addressed this challenge by placing social sciences and humanities (SSH) at the centre of intersex research. The project investigated how cultural heritage, ethical reasoning, and social norms shape intersex lives, healthcare practices, and policy development. Focusing on Ireland and Italy - two understudied countries with different institutional and policy environments - the project used a comparative approach to examine how similar moral frameworks can lead to different social and political outcomes. The overall objective of CHRISALIS was to generate socially grounded, ethically informed knowledge that supports more inclusive, rights-based, and culturally sensitive approaches to intersex issues. Specifically, the project aimed to: (1) explore how intersex bodies and experiences are represented and understood in public, professional, and policy discourse; (2) analyse ethical and moral reasoning in intersex healthcare and decision-making; and (3) produce comparative knowledge that can inform policy dialogue, professional reflection, education, and public understanding. By integrating perspectives from social psychology, sociology, ethics, policy studies, and intersex studies, CHRISALIS responds to European priorities on equality, human rights, and socially responsible research. Its results are expected to contribute at multiple levels: by informing ethical reflection in healthcare and policy, supporting education and training initiatives, strengthening intersex advocacy and awareness-raising, and fostering dialogue between researchers, professionals, policymakers, and civil society. In doing so, the project demonstrates the essential role of SSH research in addressing complex societal challenges that cannot be resolved through technical or biomedical solutions alone.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union