Classification of sex at birth, variant

Usage

Information on sex at birth may be based on self-reported data or reported by proxy depending on the statistical program. Therefore, the expression 'reported sex at birth' is used in these definitions when referring to self-reported data and answers reported by proxy.

According to the Government of Canada's LGBTQ2 Secretariat's glossary, the term 'intersex' is "an umbrella term to capture various types of biological sex differentiation. Intersex people have variations in their sex characteristics, such as sex chromosomes, internal reproductive organs, genitalia, and/or secondary sex characteristics (e.g. muscle mass, breasts) that fall outside of what is typically categorized as male or female." For reasons related to the small size of this population and the challenges in identifying intersex people, Statistics Canada does not currently collect specific information on intersex Canadians.