Is it like being trans?

Intersex is not the same as trans/transgender. Being trans is about gender identity and gender expression: how you see yourself and how you present yourself to others. When someone is trans, their perceived social gender is not consistent with their biological sex.

When someone is intersex, their biological sex is not consistent with what doctors perceive as a standard male or female body. Most intersex individuals identify as male or female, and usually their perceived social gender corresponds to the sex assigned at birth. The difference is perhaps best explained with a comparison that is so brief as to be a little off-putting to reality:

Some trans people seek the help of a doctor to adjust their bodies to their views, while intersex people seek help to get rid of the doctor who has adjusted their bodies to his views.

Many intersex people get along well with doctors these days, thankfully, and by no means is every trans person looking for a doctor. But it does emphasize the essence of the difference. While surgical intervention for intersex variations is no longer a given for a small group of modern physicians, many of our stories are about  unpleasant contact with health professionals.