This article explores the cultural and social perceptions of intersex people in America from 1620-1960. It discusses how early beliefs that intersex births were punishments from God led to intersex people being seen as subhuman. While medicine increasingly viewed intersex as a medical condition over time, stigma remained. The article analyzes changing definitions and several influential historical publications and cases. It concludes that misconceptions have supported a rigid two-sex system despite human biological diversity.

1. Impossible Hermaphrodites: Intersex in America, 1620-1960 Elizabeth Reis Presentation by Joanie Gentile

4. Intro to Presentation This presentations aims to provide an overview of the main points and arguments of Reis’s article as well as providing information on the most important case studies and publications discussed in the article

9. Masterpiece Image from Aristotle's Master-Piece, 1697

10. Masterpiece Continued This publication suggested that the thoughts and actions of pregnant women could result in birth deformities (including intersex births) Image from Showhistory.com

15. Conclusions on Hall As Reis points out, the courts decision was probably not a case of a progressive court accepting intersex people, but more likely the court trying to make Hall out as a public embarrassment discouraging others to follow his/her example. Image from Uen.org

18. Parsons Conclusions He concluded that a sex must be chosen for all intersex babies based on the the male or female anatomy they most closely matched.

20. 1800’s-1900’s Continued Even with the advances in medicine, intersex people still carry the stigma of monsters and are generally viewed as deceitful, untrustworthy, and unnatural people. Image from letthedogin.com

28. References Reis, Elizabeth. I m possible Hermaphrodites: Intersex in America, 1620-1960. The Journal of American History 92 (2005): 411-441. Print. reis-intersex-us-1620-1960.pdf