Youth Program

Blog posts written by, or about, our intersex youth. Many are members of our Youth program.

  • Illustration on intersex and eating disorders - a person huddles in a bubble underwater with eyes closed, arms hugging themselves. Seaweed grabs and encloses the bubble.

When Will My Body Be Mine? On Intersex Surgery and Eating Disorders

September 30th, 2020|

Infant genital surgery made me feel like my body wasn’t mine. An eating disorder felt like a way to reclaim control. Here’s how I found my way out. By Marissa Adams Be aware: this personal essay covers infant genital surgery, medical trauma, and inpatient programs for anorexia. People with eating disorders learn to restrict

  • Five intersex people with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: Allie, Jubi, Mari, Bria, and Sophia

5 Intersex People on Growing Up with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

June 12th, 2020|

June is CAH Awareness Month. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia is the medical term given to one of the most common intersex conditions. We talked to five young people about their experiences with CAH, adrenal crisis, and growing up with intersex bodies. By Bria Brown-King   This essay is also available in Spanish, thanks to the translation

Intersex Resources in the Time of COVID-19

April 3rd, 2020|

Created With the Community in Mind We are all experiencing the effects of COVID-19 in one way or another. It is important to remind ourselves that there is no one right way to cope with our current reality. It’s okay to grieve. For some, physical distancing might mean having more time to connect with

  • Purple graphic with images of Bria in the background

Bria Recaps Their interACT Internship

February 4th, 2020|

  In seven months I went from sweating profusely during classroom presentations to talking about my experience as an intersex person in front of more than 300 healthcare professionals at the Trans Health Conference in Boston. This internship has helped me find my confidence and my voice as an intersex advocate. I used to be

  • interACT Youth Member Banti stands in front of a PowerPoint presentation on intersex issues, given at a GLSEN conference in Massachusetts.

Intersex Youth Give Fall Educational Presentations

November 26th, 2018|

interACT Youth is an international program that seeks to develop the advocacy and leadership skills of young intersex people to raise awareness and reduce stigma around being intersex. Our growing youth program is currently home to 60 members, and we host a community support space as well. interACT Youth’s advocacy centers the belief that intersex

  • A group of ~100 med students on a staircase, posing with a large banner reading Won't Be Erased.

Medical Student Pride Alliance at Stanford Hosts Fundraising Rally for interACT

November 2nd, 2018|

Photo: Claire Rhee, Stanford Med student   The doctors of the future have spoken: “We will not tolerate any course of action that harms our community.” Stanford University's chapter of Medical Student Pride Alliance organized a fundraiser and rally following last week's #WontBeErased movement. In a gesture to affirm intersex, transgender, and gender expansive people, the group

  • Anick and fellow intersex activist and interACT Youth member Irene waving an intersex flag at the Oii Europe 2018 Community Event in Copenhagen.

Meeting Other Intersex People for the First Time

February 15th, 2018|

Anick and fellow intersex activist and interACT Youth member Irene at the Oii Europe 2018 Community Event in Copenhagen. by Anick I want you to imagine you are isolated, that you’ve got a secret you feel like you should hide because you fear no one could possibly understand you, or that they’d laugh

A Conversation with David Strachan, Intersex and Non-binary Pioneer

March 8th, 2017|

A Conversation with David Strachan, Intersex and Non-binary Pioneer by Hans Lindahl, interACT Member   I sat down with David Cameron Strachan to reflect on intersex and LGBTQ history, the meaning of “non-binary” gender, and a recent court victory—The San Francisco Superior Court granted David’s petition for non-binary gender markers** last Wednesday. He is now

What Hanne Gaby Odeile Means For Intersex People – Like Me

January 25th, 2017|

In addition to being an Intersex activist and political campaigns consultant, Susannah Temko who lives in London is also a member of interACT Youth. Susannah wrote this reflection for Huffington Post UK on fashion model Hanne Gaby Odeile’s recent disclosure has meant to her. PHOTO CREDIT: VAN TINE DENNIS/ABACA USA

Can You Be Born Intersex Without Knowing? It Happened to Me

October 26th, 2016|

Is it possible to be intersex without knowing? I discovered I was intersex by watching a Buzzfeed video. By Irene     My doctors never talked to me. And my father kept everything secret from me for 7 years. Last year I discovered the truth because of the “What It's Like To Be Intersex” Buzzfeed

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This Is A Custom Widget

This Sliding Bar can be switched on or off in theme options, and can take any widget you throw at it or even fill it with your custom HTML Code. Its perfect for grabbing the attention of your viewers. Choose between 1, 2, 3 or 4 columns, set the background color, widget divider color, activate transparency, a top border or fully disable it on desktop and mobile.