How is the term “DSD” perceived in non-English speaking countries?
Response to the term “DSD” varies around the world, partly due to how the term is translated to different languages, and also due to different social norms and circumstances. For instance, intersex activists in Japan had come up with the term “sei hattasu shougai” (sex development disorder) prior to the introduction of “DSD” in the United States, and are quite receptive to the term. On the other hand, French translation of DSD, “troubles du développment sexuel,” could easily be confused with sexual perversion (since there is no distinction between “sex” and “sexual” in French when used as an adjective), and many French-speaking intersex people are not happy about it. That said, there is an overwhelming resistance to the U.S.- and Anglo-centric process by which new terms are developed and proliferated across the world, reflecting the United States’ cultural, economic and military dominance over the rest of the world. If you live in the U.S., please be sensitive to the unintended consequ
