I have a dear friend who is blind from diabetes... she tells people that she is blind from diabetes.Anyways, you've got the right point, Danny, but wrong tack on it.
The gay thing that is studied often with CAH and lesbians has nothing to do with intersex, and I don't think activists are using it under the intersex label to prove anything. I don't think the researchers who are focused on it are doing it for social reasons, either.
However, there is a much higher rate of homosexuality and bisexuality in women with CAH than the unaffected population. Compare that with women with AIS---women who have XY genes---and you'll find that they have homosex rates about the same as unaffected women. That's not an intersex thing---it's a hormonal thing.
Research on the above is easy to find.
The LGBTI stuff you see some orgs adding is actually a bit disturbing to many within the intersex community in my experience. The reason for that is if you take all of those with some type of intersex, most are not queer in any way--they are not lesbian, they are not gay, they are not bi, and they are not trans. In fact, there is an incredible amount of homophobia and transphobia within the intersex populations I have encountered.
Most orgs who add that "I" are simply trying to be trendy. I personally am pretty against it for a number of reasons. In fact, I am speaking about it this weekend---to an LGBT organization.
It's ironic that you used diabetes because it is something I use in arguing against LGBTI---intersex is something you are born with and it's not an identity for most people, it's not a sexual orientation, and it's usually not a gender identity for most people. It's not trans, and it's not gay.
Most with intersex are not focused upon it (but many are quietly upset over the shame, secrecy, and surgery issues) If you ask most people with some type of intersex what they label themselves as---they will first say male or female, and if queer--lesbian, gay, bi, or trans. Whatever it is they were born with will often come last. If married with kids---that label will come first.
With those orgs and groups who insist on adding an "I", I often suggest they also add a "D" to encompass those in their community with diabetes. It usually makes the point that intersex is as relevant to LGBT as diabetes is.
Part of the misperceptions of course lie within who is actually speaking out on intersex issues---it tends to be lesbians for some reason. My guess on why that is because we already have dealt with much stigma over who we love and it becomes easier and often a natural progression.
Betsy
--quickly putting on my fireproof suit.
