Abstract Introduction This review examines relational and sexual outcomes, body image, and quality of life (QoL) among intersex people, situating these domains within broader theoretical debates on medicalisation, normativity, and biopsychosocial development. Method A systematic search was conducted using the PRISMA protocol. Articles were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science databases. After identifying 1529 scientific articles, 33 studies were included. Across the literature, intersex people’s relational and sexual trajectories are shaped by sociocultural scripts that equate normative genital appearance; this could result in delayed or avoided romantic and sexual experiences. Results Body image emerges as a key site where biomedical discourse, personal meaning-making, and social regulation intersect. Neutral-to-positive overall body satisfaction coexists with persistent dissatisfaction regarding genital and sex-related characteristics, often shaped by early medical interventions and experiences of bodily objectification. QoL outcomes reveal considerable heterogeneity, suggesting that intersex embodiment shouldn’t be considered a pathological condition. Conclusion This review highlights the need to move beyond deficit-based and pathologizing frameworks of intersex embodiment, emphasizing instead the social, relational, and political conditions that shape intersex people’s well-being. Policy Implications A biopsychosocial and justice-oriented approach is essential for informing clinical practice, policy development, and the creation of supportive environments that uphold bodily autonomy, social recognition, and quality of life for intersex people.
Urone et al. (Thu,) studied this question.