people of color and intersexuality

[Sypha]

hello, im new to the website. my name is sypha and i am intersexed, but trans-identified. i want to come out as intersexed, but in a way, im scared. i have come a long way, by coming out to myself and others, but i know that the road is long and expansive.

i haven't had any kind of surgery except a bilateral gonadectomy but havent been opened and don't know if i want to. i wish i could have been born a boy, but that's water under the bridge.

it's crazy how alone i can feel in the world being a person of color and intersexed.....it's a journey.....holla back if you hear me.:p

susanne

[Betsy]

Hi Sypha (or Susanne---let us know how you would like to be addressed :confused: ok?)

Welcome to Bodies Like Ours. I just returned from Creating Change where we talked about bridging the racial divide and how we can all work towards that.

Were you there?

I am very happy you are here and hopefully can teach us some things about being an intersexed person of color. I know I need to learn tons about it.

Betsy

[Natasha]

It's about time. This place really could use some color. =)

[Sypha]

i think that i am not responsible for teaching people about intersex people of color, but can only share my truths and experiences.

i am so tired of the silence. i am tired of the shame and the people who are scared. i am tired of being referred to in books as a "genital anomaly" or some warped medical term that only reinforces patriarchy, heterosexism, and further condemns women who have intersexed children and those who are born intersexed to live in silence and shame.

we are gonna find our feet. we will make it because we have to. i want more young people to come forward. baby steps, i guess :P

[beach]

hi sypha welcome.. its a great site,beach

[Freewriterr]

Hi!
Welcome, it is great to have you come in!

Peace,
Freewritter

[Natasha]

I agree you are not responsible for teaching us about intersex people of color. Just speaking from your heart of your own experience, about all you have endured and what you think. Will go a long way, and likely help many people. By doing so you set an example. Which other IS people who live in silence going unheard, may follow to find their own voice, and so empower themselves.

It is amazing how much it helps. To just feel free enough to speak without fear about who we really are. Just today I sat down with my bank manager for just a few minutes. I gave her one of the flyers about this website, which Betsy and Dandara sent to me. We spoke about this for just a short time. She received me warmly, and we now have something between us other than mere business. Something real and human.

I can't tell you how good I felt after our brief meeting! Now whenever I go my bank, it will be a much better experience for me. I no longer have any doubt whether she would accept me, if she knew the truth about me.

Earlier in the week. I gave one of the flyers to the mangers of the apartment complex where I live. That also went very well, and now we are even becoming very friendly.

To be honest I am surprised how much doing this has helped me. I feel more a part of other people, and as well I feel more closely linked to all of you. I am more at ease with myself, and more relaxed around others. I no longer feel different.

I no longer feel alone.

[Betsy]

I am so happy you are using and sharing the handouts we sent! They are so simple and easy to understand that it makes sharing so easy. We gave away close to 1000 of them at Creating Change and many people took big handfuls of them to take back to their own organizations.

Let me know if you need more.

Betsy

[Natasha]

They really are great. It really didn't occur to me that sharing them with others would even help me. But it sure has. Thank you so much for them.

By all means please do send me some more.

Thanks so much!

[Az1]

A site to understand , support , heal, complain, and experince.
wish you all the happines of being az1.

Muhoe

[nimo6211]

I am sorry. This comment may be redundant. I just joined and have been perusing all the threads (not quite finished yet) and just had to comment on this one. Hey Sypha, I hope you are still a member? I can never understand why people have to introduce themselves as people of color? Are you looking for a different treatment from the rest of people with "no color"? My skin is dark, I come from a different country, a different race and multi-cultural society, but I have never had the need to introduce myself as black, white, yellow, red or whatever color.

The problems befalling all intersexed people did not discriminate on the color of your skin. It affected you and me regardless. Why do we have to go and create another avenue of discrimination and room for prejudices. I am sorry if this offends you but I really think we need to be changing our attitudes first before we even think of having other people look with us without discrimination or prejudices of any kind. Let's just stick to "me intersex", "you intersex" and not go into all the other things which just complicate matters.

Soor, just needed to vent a little. :grouphug0