Intersex Collection

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Intersex people, are hard to find in the records from the 1800s. Usually, when people's stories are told in the newspapers, it's because they've been arrested. Being intersex was not and has never been illegal. 

However, references to possibly intersex people turn up in the papers when someone assigned female at birth is found to be dressing in masculine attire or the reverse. 

Please note, articles regarding possibly intersex people often refer to them with the outdated term 'hermaphrodite'. While we acknowledge that this is a term that is no longer used, it was widely used in the 1800s. 

Also, please be aware that some of the articles about intersex people can be hurtful in their phrasings and tone. If you are triggered by something you read, please reach out for support to someone you can trust or to one of the organisations listed at the bottom of every page.

Image from the State Library of Victoria's collection: http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/299879