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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D.
Department
Educational Leadership and Policy
First Advisor
Erica Edwards
Abstract
Progress has been made in society’s recognition of the diversity of human identities, with a particular focus on acknowledging the rights and experiences of transgender and non-binary individuals. However, intersex individuals continue to be largely overlooked in scholarly research and within the general population leading to a significant gap in existing literature. Intersex individuals are born with sex characteristics that deviate from the established medical and social standards for male and female bodies. Individuals with intersex variations exhibit diversity in terms of their bodies, sexes, as well as sexual gender identities (Carpenter, 2016). Today there are over 40 different intersex variations and this number is continuously growing. These variations may become known prenatally, at birth, during puberty, in later stages of life, or may remain undetectable (Sterling, 2021). Intersex advocates have been committed to the fundamental goals of fighting for the rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination and striving to eliminate stigma. There is a growing recognition of the need to center intersex voices in academic research, advocacy, and policymaking. The shift is motivated by a broader understanding within academia that gender and sex are complex, diverse, and challenging binary definitions. Bridging this gap is essential to creating a more inclusive higher education environment that embraces the diversity of human experiences. This abstract emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by intersex individuals within the broader framework of diversity and inclusion in higher education. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the educational experiences of intersex people during their undergraduate years, structural supports that encourage persistence among intersex students, and barriers to persistence that intersex students face in higher education. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with current and former intersex college students.
INDEX WORDS: College Environment, Higher Education, Intersectionality Theory, Intersex, Self-Identity, Well-Being.
Recommended Citation
Reese, Akelah Marie, "The “i” Exists: An Exploration Of Intersex Students’ Experiences And Persistence Factors Throughout Their Collegiate Journey" (2025). Wayne State University Dissertations. 4231.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/4231