Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows that theology should reflect an image of God and of humanity more complex and diverse than an all-encompassing male-female binary allows. It explores the nature of intersex/Disorders of sex development (DSD) conditions and introduces the broad theological and ethical issues. An early engagement with intersex from the perspective of Christianity is made by Karen Lebacqz. Two 2006 essays by Hester and Jung explore some ethical implications of the treatment of intersex/DSD in theological perspective. The book considers Emi Koyama's 'Suggested Guidelines for Non-Intersex Individuals Writing about Intersexuality and Intersex People'. It sets out to render intersex representable and speakable within a theological framework, and query the strands within Christian theology which privilege clearly-sexed, heteronormative configurations of sexes, sexualities and genders to the exclusion of people whose bodies or identities do not 'fit'.