Intersex Society of North America (ISNA)

The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) was an organization focused on raising awareness and advocacy for intersex individuals—people born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female. Founded in the late 1990s, ISNA sought to educate the public, promote human rights, and challenge harmful medical practices that often involved surgery to "normalize" intersex bodies. The organization emphasized the importance of acceptance and informed consent, encouraging a shift towards supporting intersex people's autonomy and identity rather than enforcing a binary understanding of gender. ISNA ceased operations in 2008 but laid the groundwork for ongoing intersex advocacy.