Hello from Andrea

[Andi]

Hello everyone, I just learned about this site a few days ago. I've spent the past few days going through the message board & think I've read most of them now. From what I've read here & on other forums I guess I'm one of the lucky ones since I didn't have "corrective" surgery inflicted on me.
I've "come out" to very few people about being intersexed, with mixed results. I think one of the worst responces was "So what are you then?" :( But I've also had friends who were at least understanding, if not supportive. If nothing else they could appreciate how difficult it was for me to tell them about something I've kept hidden for so many years.
Like many of you, I grew up wondering what was wrong with me & why couldn't I have been like everyone else. It's been a long difficult road for me to come to accept being how I am.
I don't know what else to say now. I'm sure I'll think of more in the future.

Best wishes to all of you,
Andi

[Betsy]

Andi,

Welcome to Bodies Like Ours.

Our motto includes never giving "mixed results" or uttering the words, "So what are you?" Having heard those words before, I find a blank look and a short response of "Huh? I'm a human being...how about you?" most appropriate.

Again, welcome and I look forward to having you here.

Betsy

[Jules]

Hi Andrea! I can feel tht you have questions about youself that you have yet to anwser. First comming out as intersexed for me was the greatest gift in the world. Our bodys are just tools that house ours souls. We should learn to love and use and understand the bodys that our uniquely ours. It is estamted tht 1 out of 100 people are sexualy disfutional. They see themselves as to small, to large, to dry to wet or have personaity problems that doen't give them intimacy with other people. One out of 2000 are truley intersexed. So you see alot of people who fit in the gidelines of normal limits have problems with sexualty, and very few get help for it. It is o.k for people who don't understand to say huh......?? You would be shocked to learn how many people never even heard of intersexed people, that word is not even in the diconary. This is why it is imporant(When you ready) to come out and speak out for who you are. That is the only way that other inersexed people yet to be born, won't be discrimnated they way I was, or maybe the way you were. Education is the key word here. Your are Gifted Andrea for having a body that is vey special, so am I. Learn to love it. You will learn to grow stronger as you tell your story, with pride, and you can be the one of ther few great teachers that help other people understand that we are gifted people and if you beleive in yourself they will listen and respect you, and you will in time get the kind of respect that no boy or girl alone could ever get. Your mind has the unqiue gift of being bathed in both estrogens, androgens, and testostrone, depending on your condition. Because of that you see the world much diffrently them someone who fits more narrowly in their sexaul role. Start by looking inward learn all you can about how you were formed in your mother's womb, if your xx or xy, read your medical records, and look up books on hermaphidites. Reach out to there intersexed people. I got your email and will give a more privite anwser back soon,I will answer any questions you have. You have started your Path Andrea, the path you were born to walk.. I look fowared to talking with you soon Julanne

[beach]

hi andi , Q? what are you? A: welcome here ... beach

[Betsy]

Beach,

You rarely fail to bring a smile to my face...thank-you.

Betsy

[Andi]

Thanks Betsy, as much as I hope I never again get asked WHAT I am, I hope that if it does happen again, I can have the courage to do something other than just be hurt. Maybe in time it will happen. Let's hope so. For now I'll just hope for some lively discussions here on the board.

Andi

[Az1]

Glad to meet you ,
I am what I am .
I am IS and I think that you will find out there are others with many diversified understandings , dreams, hopes and desires on this site and also in life.

Jules : 1 in 2000 are ya raisin the stakes .......

Az 1

Muhoe

[Andi]

"I am what I am."?
Sounds a bit too Popeye-ish to me. ;)

Anyway, thanks for the welcome. So far it seems I have found some really nice people in here. I hope we can all get to know one another & to make this site the definitive IS site on the web.

Andi

[Betsy]

well, gosh....that would be kewl...I would be honored but it is really you..the members of this community who post and post often that make it what it is.

Cheers,

Betsy

[Andi]

Well I'm trying to do my part. ;) Considering I just joined a few days ago I think I've been pretty active in posting so far, but that could change. And Betsy, don't downplay your part, doing what you can to keep the "I wanna fuck a freak" (Do they REALLY think that's an endearing statement?) crowd out of here. It will be a team effort, to make this forum great. So far I think it's off to a good start.

Andi, just one individual, just one member of the board

Originally posted by Betsy
well, gosh....that would be kewl...I would be honored but it is really you..the members of this community who post and post often that make it what it is.

Cheers,

Betsy

[Jules]

Wow ! has it really been two years!!!

[Andi]

No, not 2 years yet. I registered in December of 2002 according to the thing on the left hand side of the screen, so we got a while before it's 2 years for me.

Andi