Hi all,

I'm CR, 25 y.o. and IS. It's been a long confusing road thus far, but I'm always up for an adventure. Betsy, it looks like a great place you guys have created here, thanks for your diligence. Initially my birth-parents couldn't acept me being IS which led to my adoption, but now my b-parents are an awesome support. They are trying so hard to learn all they can at a pace that is just right for them. I've been able to really educate them, which feels great to be open about everything with them finally.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and say hi to everyone.

God bless,
CR

Hi C-R,

Thankyou for the kind words about the forum. :p I hope you learn and educate alike others here about your experiences.

Betsy

__________________
Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is. --Margaret Mitchell

Hi, CR

I read this board daily and it is so cool to meet other intersexed individuals. It seems as if a lot of people are joining this board and it is great. Not too long ago I felt so alone and now I realize there are others like me.

I am also 25 years old. I live in California, which is great b/c I find people are pretty open-minded about things. I just started coming out as intersexed to people; first my girlfriend and then my best friend. Everyone has been really cool and understanding so far. I'm glad to hear that your birth parents are more understanding and helpful to you now.

Anyway, I wanted to say "hi" back and tell you that I agree that being intersexed is not the easiest thing but it does help meeting others.

Take care and please do write sometime.

Victoria

Hi Victoria,

I know what you mean about feeling so alone, like we are one of a kind, and that is why I think it's important for us to come together like this, for common support.

I feel that when we come together like this, we can build eachother up, and also help prepare to educate others about being IS. It's most likely that an IS child will be born to parents ignorant about IS issues. I applaud all the parents(and grandparents :D) on this board for wanting to get all the information that they can to help their kids.

I agree that people in CA seem to be more accepting than other parts of the states. I'm from the UK, and there are some places over there that are very accepting also. But now I'm living in CA also. Are you in Northern or So. Cal?

I look forward to getting to know you all.

God bless,
CR

CR,

I am in northern CA, what about you?? I'm sure there are some places south where people are cool but I'm happy that I'm here. Do you know of any support groups or things of that nature in CA for intersexed folks? There are probably some that are for LGBT which are inclusive of IS but I am wondering if you knew of anything that caters more to mainly IS?

I would be really interested in meeting people (someone!) that I could talk to face to face. I have found this board to be a source of support for me but meeting someone who is IS would be so great. I'm sure we'd have lots to talk about--not just about IS but life in general:)

Well, I wish you well and I hope you will continue to write.

P.S. What kind of work do you do??

Victoria

I wish there was a support group somewhere in CA that I knew about, but there isn't. I have tried every avenue possible that I can think of to find one, but everything I come up with are LGBT type meetings. I feel the same way, I'd love to have an IS group, with IS people. I'm not interested in going to a LGBT function since I'm not homosexual, bi, or TS. I feel that we as IS people are a seperate community, I understand that some peope fit into both communities, but we have different issues and need to be able to somehow get together. It's so funny, but I feel this connexion with other IS people. There is this little boy that I've watched grow up (he's 17 now) and he's IS, and it just brightens my day to be around him, even though no one else knows that he's IS.

Anyway, I agree with you, that it'd be so nice to be able to have some of us get together face to face and just talk.

Bye for now,
CR

Oh yeah, I'm in Southern CA.

Since there are many different birth defects that are IS, I was wondering what you were born with. Is it AIS?

KELLY

Hi CR,

I happen to run into your profile, and understand that you're in So. California.

I'm in Missouri, but came here from Los Angeles. I'm an IS 49 yrs old, and seriously miss the West coast.

Would like to stay in touch with you.

Kelly,

No, I am not AIS. I just identify as IS. I was never given a specific category of IS to fall into. There is so much about IS conditions that doctors still don't know about. If I HAD to be placed into a category, I'd be termed hermaphrodite.

Philip,

Welcome to the group! Glad to have you here. Man, that must have been harsh moving from LA to Missouri, what a switch. I hope that we are all able to get to know each other and support each other here on the board. It really is important for IS people to have a common place to come together and share experiences.

God bless,
CR