Intersex people are individuals born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Some persons may be assigned and raised as a girl or boy but then identify with another gender later in life, while others continue to identify with their assigned sex Intersex people face stigmatization and discrimination from birth, or following the discovery of intersex traits at stages of development such as puberty Globally, some intersex infants and children, such as those with ambiguous outer genitalia, are surgically or hormonally altered to create more socially acceptable sex characteristics. This is considered controversial, with no firm evidence of favorable outcomes. Such treatments may involve sterilization Increasingly, these issues are considered human rights abuses, with statements from international and national human rights and ethics institutions. Intersex organizations have also issued statements about human rights violations.