1.

Changing the Message: Starting a conversation on Intersexuality

2. Why is being intersex considered taboo and how do unnecessary surgeries affect intersex
people?
a. This question is central to my research because one of my biggest concerns was the fact
that not many people know what being intersex is, and not many people know the
burden that comes with it, which is the pressure to undergo a surgery to ‘correct your
genitals’ or most of the time not even having a choice( because many are kids when
they undergo the surgery.) My question mostly surrounds the topic, taking into
consideration the factors that have allowed for these surgeries to continually affect
intersex individuals.
3. My target audience would be everyone, I believe that since the topic isn’t talked about a lot that
the audience should include all people but mostly those who do not know anything about it. I
would definitely like to focus on doctors, and parents , because I feel like doctors are the ones
that perform these surgeries and parents are the ones that are faced with making these
decisions for their child. I feel like overall even parents as the audience could open up to future
parents.
4. The interview that I did with Joshua Burford is one of the most reliable sources that I felt I had.
His comments on focusing on the surgeries that individuals are forced to go through as children,
and his comparison to the oppression faced by gay people in the 80s really shown light on just
how bad this problem is and just how invisible it seems that intersex people are. I think that
ultimately my most reliable source was the article (Morland 425). This article talked about
someone’s experience being intersex and I really believe that seeing someone going through
things is what gets people to listen. The article that I probably won’t really use will be the one on
intersex athletes and their troubles in playing, I just want to focus more on the surgical aspect
that Joshua and I discussed. What I realized that I was missing was actual testimony from
someone who was been through this and can tell on their experience, and can talk about what
they want and need. A big source that I used, was the ____ Webiste which was rich in
information, giving testimonies and definitions. It helped in showing a cohesive website that
actually had information regarding people that are affected by this, not only intersex people, but
also their parents. It also showed how even the term intersex is kind of like an umbrella term for
people born with all types of differences, chromosomal, hormonal and even just developmental.
The real focus of all my research was simply to find out more about why this is occurring, and
why many parents find it okay for cosmetic surgery to be performed on their children. It’s
extremely interesting considering that no parent would let their child have rhinoplasty at the
age twelve simply because their nose was abnormal , unless it was seriously affecting their
health.

5. Spread awareness on what being intersex is

a. A big factor that contributes to the social view on being intersex is the fact that many
people do not know what it is. I feel that if there is more being said about it and if
people learn more about it in their biology and sex ed classes, more people will know.
Perhaps writing a children’s book of some sort will allow people to understand from a
young age that it is possible for this to happen.
 i. You need someone to write the book, someone to publish the book, people to
buy the book, find places that will accept the book. Create an initiative so that
people have a reason to learn and maybe even team up with the ISA . A great
time of year would be the spring, promo material would be mostly posters since
the book has to be written first. The cost could be covered by finding people
that care and also trying to table and fundraise.

b. Stop forcing these kids to undergo unnecessary surgeries:

i. I hope that as people become more educated and aware, parents and doctors
won’t feel the need to make their child conform to the binary, or what is seen as
“normal”. Unwanted and unnecessary surgeries are one of the most pressing
issues affecting intersex individuals.

1. A way to help with this problem is in raising awareness perhaps

through partnership with ITSA and make a short film or just video
explaining the questions that many people that know what
intersexuality is normally ask. Then create a film that shows experiences
and shows real people who are affected by this. My research shows that
it can even affect the loved ones of these people. The film could really
be an eye opener. Things that need to be considered: price of filming,
finding people that can be filmed, finding someone to film it, price of
everything could be a little pricy unless we get a film student or people
that are genuinely interested in filming. Posters could be effective in
drawing people in. Hosting a big watch party on campus could draw
people in, and this could be shown anytime of the year. If classes or
teachers offered extra credit for students to come out and watch that
could really boost attendance.

2. This will ultimately be my number one solution because I feel that the
execution of it could be very informative and could really shed light on
things that most people don’t speak about. If intersex individuals
continue to suffer without being heard or being known about, then
what changes can occur? I feel that something that propels the spread
of information and that starts conversations is social media, and also
exposure to celebrities who are affected by certain issues. Caitlyn
Jenner, and Gigi Gorgeous both created a big conversation on
transgender issues, Selena Gomez created a conversation on Lupus,
Lady Gaga created a big conversation on fibromyalgia, I think that
maybe even sharing the film on social media to make it available to a
worldwide audience could create even more of a buzz on this topic.

Works cited

Block, Melissa. “The Sensitive Question Of Intersex Athletes.” NPR, NPR, 16 Aug. 2016,
www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/08/16/490236620/south-african-star-raises-sensitive-questions-about-intersex-
athletes.
Byne, William et al. “Gender Dysphoria in Adults: An Overview and Primer for
Psychiatrists.” Transgender Health 3.1 (2018): 57–A3. Web.
Germain, Jacqui, et al. Feministing, feministing.com/2016/04/06/icymi-buzzfeeed-video-on-what-its-like-to-be-
intersex/.

“Intersex People #WontBeErased, Either.” Ms. Magazine Blog, 23 Oct. 2018,

msmagazine.com/blog/2018/10/26/intersex-people-wontbeerased-either/.

“‘I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me’ | Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the
US.” Human Rights Watch, 30 Aug. 2017, www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/25/i-want-be-nature-made-
me/medically-unnecessary-surgeries-intersex-children-us.
Kleeman, Jenny. “'We Don't Know If Your Baby's a Boy or a Girl': Growing up Intersex.” The Guardian, Guardian News
and Media, 2 July 2016, www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/02/male-and-female-what-is-it-like-to-be-intersex.

Morland, Iain. “II. Intimate Violations: Intersex and the Ethics of Bodily Integrity.” Feminism &
Psychology 18.3 (2008): 425–430. Web.
Rundbland, Dalea. “No Longer Hiding in Plain Sight: Dalea Rundblad on Being Intersex.” NPR, NPR, 24 Mar. 2017,
www.npr.org/2017/03/24/521389512/no-longer-hiding-in-plain-sight-dalea-rundblad-on-being-intersex.

T. PHAM, MINH-HA. “Alice Dreger, Gender Bender.” Ms. Magazine, 2 Aug. 2017, msmagazine.com/2011/11/08/alice-
dreger-gender-bender/.