DCU hosts major international Intersex Studies conference

This month, Dublin City University hosted Intersex Insights: Heritage, Visibility and Recognition, a two-day conference dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary conversations on intersex studies and variations of sex characteristics (VSC). The event took place on 9 and 10 June 9th and was led by Dr Marta Prandelli as the final output of CHRISALIS, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the European Union.

The programme featured over 50 experts across 15 parallel sessions, engaging with key issues across healthcare, law, ethics, policy, culture, advocacy, and lived experience. In addition to academic panels, highlights included a creative programme of film and art, and the launch of the book Intersex, Variations of Sex Characteristics, DSD: Critical Approaches.

The conference concluded with a high-level roundtable on the future of intersex research, advocacy, and inclusive care, featuring representatives with lived experience as well as voices from civil and human rights institutions across Ireland, Italy, and Europe. On 11 June, DCU also hosted a first-of-its-kinds in-person event for early career researchers in intersex studies, providing space for emerging scholars to build networks, share ideas, and help shape the future of the field.

Intersex Insights was supported by the European Union and the Health Research Board through the Conference and Event Sponsorship Scheme 2025.

Intersex Insights is the final event of CHRISALIS, a comparative project between Ireland and Italy led by Dr Marta Prandelli, funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01; Grant ID: 101067189). 

Intersex Insights is also supported by the Health Research Board, through the Conference and Event Sponsorship Scheme 2025 Cycle 1 (ID: CES-2025-019).