A New Era for Intersex Rights : The New Yorker

A New Era for Intersex Rights : The New Yorker

People are starting to notice.

My comment :

I find it amazing that so many non-Intersex people are so vehement in asserting that only *they* know who or what we *really* are. That their opinion trumps our experienced narrative.
That might not be so bad if you could all agree with one another, but you can't.

Then there's the overt homophobia - confusing us with gays. The overt trans- and intersex-phobia, (often from gays ironically enough, who object to being associated with us). They have a point - the only things we have in common is that it's the same people who hate us both, and the fact that Stonewall, the celebrated GLBT beginning of the fight for equal rights, was largely led by Trans people. They've always been a part of that, not "tacked on" as revisionist and comforting mythology would have it.

Intersex people have in the past, largely been able to hide instead. Not to make waves. Only the few (with 5ARD,17BHSD,3BHSD etc) who physically change apparent sex during their lifetimes get the problems Trans people do. That's 2% of live births in a few isolated pockets on the planet, but exceedingly rare in the US. Maybe only a few thousand.

For some, it's a descent into nightmare. For some, an interesting life experience. For many, a release from the Hell of (effective) transsexuality, neuro-anatomy of one sex, genital anatomy of the other.

Our mere existence is against many strongly convicted religious people's most deeply-felt beliefs.

The article states : "While certain religious groups argue that sexuality is a choice (and certain sexual lifestyles are therefore sinful), no one makes that argument about biology."

I wish that were so. All too many Charismatic Christians deeply believe in the power of Demonic Posession, and consequently label Intersex people as Demonic, if not actual Demons.  To a lesser extent, Trans people too, a candidate for the Colorado legislature, Gordon Klingenschmitt, recently labelled them as "possessed by a spirit of Rape".on his syndicated TV show.

In summary - a quote from Dr Who:
 "You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering."

I can attest to that discomfort.

All we can do is try to inform, to educate, and rely on the general humanity and goodwill present in nearly everyone. My faith in that has sometimes been sorely tested, but remains battered but unbowed. Articles like this one help, even though reading most of the commentary shows we have a long way to go. Excelsior etc.