Knowledge around intersexuality seems inexistent in the Arab world, with intersex individuals being subject to inhumane practices. A semi-structured interview with Helem, an LGBTQIA+ non-governmental organization in Lebanon, was conducted and three cases of intersex individuals were presented. Views on how to manage intersex individuals seem to differ from one physician to another, with many opting for sex-reassignment surgery due to sociocultural rather than medical reasons. Many physicians showed paternalistic approaches during the decision-making process. Moreover, intersex individuals who had been subject to surgery during their childhood showed high levels of psychiatric symptoms. Additionally, intersex individuals’ parents had high levels of stress and anxiety. To conclude, intersex individuals are being subject to abuse in the Arab world, with no medicolegal framework to protect them. Future efforts should focus on raising awareness about intersex issues, preventing unethical surgeries, and educating physicians on how to properly respond to intersex patients.

Background: Knowledge, clinical guidelines, and medicolegal frameworks regarding intersex individuals are inexistent in the Arab world. Some medical professionals view intersexuality as a disorder of sexual development that often needs sex-reassignment surgery to correct while others view intersexuality as a natural variation along the sex spectrum. No study to date addresses the vast gap in the literature.  Methods: We contacted eleven non-governmental and civil society organizations involved in matters of sexuality and gender in the Arab world through email. Eight organizations answered but only one, Helem, had been directly involved in supporting intersex individuals and agreed to an interview. We conducted a semi-structured interview with Helem after consent was taken from intersex individuals or their legal guardians to share their experiences. Results: We studied three cases of intersex individuals, of which two underwent sex-reassignment surgery at a young age. The surgeries were experimental in nature and had negative health consequences. Decision-making is influenced by physician factors, notably lack of knowledge, and parental factors, like stigma. Sociocultural reasons factor in the decision more than scientific evidence. Physicians, in the cases presented, dealt with intersexuality as a rare pathology requiring urgent surgical intervention. Parents of intersex individuals suffer significant psychosocial stressors. Conclusion: Medical professionals are ill-equipped to deal with intersex individuals in the Arab world, often performing unethical and abusive practices for which they are not held accountable. Parent education and referral to intersex-knowledgeable physicians seem to deter parents from opting for SRS. Intersexuality is severely understudied and ignored in the medical field. Guidelines and medicolegal frameworks are required to address this issue.