logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2020
14m 22s

The way we think about biological sex is...

TED
About this episode

Did you know that almost 150 million people worldwide are born intersex -- with biology that doesn't fit the standard definition of male or female? (That's as many as the population of Russia.) At age 10, Emily Quinn found out she was intersex, and in this wise, funny talk, she shares eye-opening lessons from a life spent navigating society's thoughtless expectations, doctors who demanded she get unnecessary surgery -- and advocating for herself and the incredible variety that humans come in. (Contains mature content)



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
The benefits of nontraditional healthcare with Dr. Charles Moore
When Dr. Charles Moore, professor in the Otolaryngology or ENT department (Ear, Nose, and Throat), saw patients coming in with undiagnosed late-stage diseases, he decided to do something about it. Dr. Moore got into his car and drove directly to neighborhoods to administer care. ... Show More
27m 42s
Sep 8
What listening to live concerts do to your ears with Jim Hudspeth (Senses Miniseries #5)
When attending live music events, it’s tempting to want to immerse in the full experience—standing by the stereo, head banging near the stage, singing at the top of your lungs. But in maximizing your concert experience, are you harming your body? In this final episode of the Sens ... Show More
36m 11s
Sep 1
The nurse who can smell Parkinson’s | Joy Milne (Senses Miniseries #4)
What does Parkinson's smell like? Ask nurse Joy Milne. Born with a hypersensitive nose, she spent a lifetime learning to recognize diseases through their scents. When she smelled Parkinson's on her husband years before his diagnosis, she decided to put her gift to the test. Today ... Show More
20m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2019
The way we think about biological sex is wrong | Emily Quinn
Did you know that almost 150 million people worldwide are born intersex -- with biology that doesn't fit the standard definition of male or female? (That's as many as the population of Russia.) At age 10, Emily Quinn found out she was intersex, and in this wise, funny talk, she s ... Show More
14m 4s
Aug 2020
What it means to be intersex — and how the false sex binary harms us | Susannah Temko
For intersex people -- those born with sex characteristics outside the traditional definitions of female and male -- the stakes to appear "normal" are high. Drawing on her personal experience, Susannah Temko reveals the shame, prejudice and harm faced by the intersex community, a ... Show More
14m 29s
Nov 2022
The Anatomy Lesson You Never Got
A man is embarrassed about his curved penis, and his partner doesn’t know what to say to him because she’s not sure if the curviness is normal. Emily serves up some real talk about sexual anatomy and explains that we all have the same basic genital parts, regardless of the sex we ... Show More
44m 46s
Nov 2021
How Can We Put The “I” In LGBTQIA+? with Alicia Roth Weigel
Have you ever met a redhead? Someone with green eyes? Someone with intersex traits?  If you answered yes to the first two questions, you can likely answer yes to the third: being intersex is as common as having red hair or green eyes. And that’s almost definitely an undercount.  ... Show More
54m 5s
Oct 2023
Born with Balls with Alicia Roth Weigel
Kayla is joined by Alicia Roth Weigel, an author and activist.. As an intersex person herself, Alicia hopes to dispel myths and normalize conversations about what it means to identify as such. She also shares her own healing journey after having surgery forced upon her without co ... Show More
38m 58s
Jul 2021
Listen Again: The Biology Of Sex
Original broadcast date: May 8, 2020. Many of us were taught biological sex is a question of female or male, XX or XY ... but it's far more complicated. This hour, TED speakers explore what determines our sex. Guests on the show include artist Emily Quinn, journalist Molly Webste ... Show More
51 m
Apr 2022
Listen Again: The Biology Of Sex
Original broadcast date: May 8, 2020. Many of us were taught biological sex is a question of female or male, XX or XY... but it's far more complicated. This hour, TED speakers explore what determines our sex. Guests on the show include artist Emily Quinn, journalist Molly Webster ... Show More
50m 36s
Nov 2023
Ep 24: What is Gender Math?
This week we are exploring all things Gender and Sex from non-binary to intersex to agender. Emma explains the gender spectrum and uncovers what 'Non-Binary Math' truly means in a world of 'Girl Math' and 'Boy Math'. We take a trip around the world and uncover the different non-b ... Show More
32m 51s