Voices and Dialogic Discourse: Intertextuality and the Framing of Intersex in Online Public Comments

Pornchai Techa; Jantima Angkapanichkit

Authors

Pornchai Techa Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University, Thailand
Jantima Angkapanichkit Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University, Thailand

Keywords:

Voices, Dialogic Discourse, Intertextuality, Intersex, Online Public Comments

Abstract

Understanding of intersex in Thai academic discourse remains limited. Even within the LGBTQIA+ movement, intersex voices and their discursive representations remain largely unheard. Although the intersex movement in Thailand was established in 2021, the voices of its activists have not yet gained significant recognition. This study raises the question of how discursive
voices construct meanings of the intersex body in online public comments. It follows a qualitative methodology and examines the multiple voices in public comments through the lens of intertextuality. The findings show that intersex variations discussed in public comments emerge through interactions among multiple discourses. Medical discourse and binary gender discourse remain central in constructing explanations of intersex variations in Thai society. Meanwhile, Buddhist, Islamic, and pop culture discourses act as supporting forces that reinforce the meanings shaped by medical and
binary gender discourses. Together, these discourses emphasize the idea that intersex is a deviation or abnormality from the natural sex. In contrast, global intersex discourse offers a counter-narrative to these hegemonic meanings. However, this discourse remains marginal in public comments, and the voices of intersex activists are absent. To shift the meaning of abnormality toward perspectives that embrace biological diversity, it is essential to form discursive alliances. Intersex activists should collaborate with interdisciplinary experts to construct forms of knowledge that are legitimized by institutional authority. Such an approach would not only enhance credibility but also cultivate broader and more inclusive understandings of intersex within the Thai public sphere.

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