When we talk about sex, we mean being either male or female. It can mean a group of people like men or boys, or women or girls.
Intersex people have physical or biological sex characteristics, such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns which do not fit the typical definitions of male or female.
People’s experiences of discrimination
People are sometimes treated unfairly because of something to do with their sex. This is called sexism. It impacts women and girls to a greater extent than men or boys.
Misogyny is “a way of thinking that upholds the primary status of men and a sense of male entitlement, while subordinating women and limiting their power and freedom. Conduct based on this thinking can include a range of abuse and controlling behaviours including rape, sexual offences, harassment and bullying and domestic abuse.” (Scottish Government)
Violence against women and girls occurs in every community. It is often overlooked, minimised, accepted as the norm, or justified to protect the so-called honour of a family, community or faith group.
People’s experiences of discrimination
Examples of sex discrimination may include:
- Talking loudly and making lewd and crude comments about a sex scene in a film in front of female patients and staff.
- Giving certain roles or jobs to people based on their sex.
- Changing shift patterns for staff so that they finish at 5pm instead of 3pm.
- Women experience differences in healthcare, with one example being the gender pain gap.
The BBC shares a short video on the Gender Pain Gap
Useful links:
- Susanna Temko – TEDxTalk ‘what it means to be intersex’
- Scottish Government Working Group on Misogyny and Criminal Justice
- Police Scotland videos THAT GUY and Don’t be that Guy
- Council of Europe’s animated video about sexism.
- The everyday sexism project is a place where women can record their stories of the sexism they have experienced. The founder of the Project, Laura Bates, shares her thoughts on sexism in this BBC video.
- 35,000 cases of sexual misconduct or violence in NHS in five years
- Sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape by colleagues in the surgical workforce, and how women and men are living different realities: observational study using NHS population-derived weights | British Journal of Surgery | Oxford Academic (oup.com)
