Intersex Books
Sometimes there are books with terrible intersex rep (as reported by the intersex community) so I have tried to keep those books off this list. Please let me know if you have recs (or anti-recs) in the comments.
created by kathytrithardt
last updated November, 2025
Comments
I think Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is about an intersex character. I haven't read it yet but it's on my tbr
I did read that one years ago, and Middlesex is a book with mixed reactions in the intersex community (from what I can tell). Some people think the story itself are fine but the author clearly read Herculine Barbin and pretended like everything came from his own imagination. Then there's this video about it.
ah okay, I don't know much about it, only that I loved his book The Virgin Suicides so I just added it to my tbr by default đ
This video is so interesting. It's nice to see an actual intersex person talking about this book instead of a classroom of cisgender heterosexual people. I've never heard of Herculine Barbin either. What a tragic story.
I finally got around to reading Hercline Barbin last month (has been on my TBR for ages).
I read this book when I was in school. It's a stirring story and the main character draws the reader in, but it's controversial for a reason. If you're sensitive to triggers like incest, sexual violence, and transphobia, this may not be a good read for you.
I have personally read this one, and yeah, all of that is accurate.
oh, you have perfect timing! Intersex is the last prompt I have left on my queer alphabet reading challenge!
Happy to help!
On Silver Shores by V. T. HoĂ ng and Where the Petals Remain by Micah Flowers
I've added the first but my quick searches haven't brought up anything about intersex character(s) in the second book.
The author talked about it in an insta post for intersex awareness day! https://www.instagram.com/p/DQRaAbADlCQ/?img_index=4
Thank you! I figured you had a source I just couldn't find!
Š 2025 Pagebound