Working with Intersex People

interACT has become a hub of connection for the US (and global!) intersex community. We serve as a resource for those who want to work with this often underrepresented population.

Please continue reading if you are requesting a partnership with interACT, or if you are requesting connection to intersex people for a project.

interACT is a small team. We are limited in how many requests we can respond to. Reviewing requests takes labor on behalf of staff, and the community we serve. Our mission is to protect intersex bodily autonomy. We work with partner organizations who:

  1. center intersex people, affirming the individual’s right to make their own choices about their own body,
  2. have significant influence with our key audiences, including doctors, parents of intersex children, lawmakers, queer ally groups, and LGBTQ+, human rights, reproductive justice, and children’s rights advocates.

If you have a question about partnership, please email info[AT]interactadvocates.org. For journalists and media, use our media inquiries form.

For journalists reporting on intersex issues:

We truly appreciate you reaching out! Involving intersex people in reporting is critical. We are available to provide background and ensure language is accurate, sensitive, affirming, and representative of this marginalized population. For vetted contacts, interACT can provide connection to sources including intersex youth and adults, families, doctors, scholars, and experts in our community. We recommend reading these resources before covering intersex issues:

Please use our media inquiry form to get in touch.

For researchers wanting to study intersex populations:

We welcome collaboration, as long as research is designed with significant intersex input from the very beginning. Our Medical Research and Policy Committee, chaired by Dr. Arlene Baratz, has specific requirements for connecting researchers to the intersex community. See our policy statement on intersex research.

For LGBTQ+ organizations that want to include the “I:”

We recommend adding the “I” once your organization has actually included intersex people in its resources, programming, and leadership. Even linking to interACT resources can be a meaningful first step! We offer printing and delivery of intersex brochures, and can arrange to send larger quantities if you can pay shipping. LGBTQIA+ organizations have always been among the intersex movement’s closest allies. We are proud to act in solidarity.

For authors or creatives who want to write intersex characters:

It’s a very early time for intersex visibility. For example, there are less than 25 known #OwnVoices books written by intersex authors themselves. We encourage intersex people to tell their stories. For non-intersex creatives, we encourage reflection on why and how you are creating intersex representation. interACT offers connection to consultants for services such as sensitivity reading. We also work with television and film producers to create sensitive representation, as we did for Faking It, MTV’s 2015 teen drama. Please get in touch.

For lawmakers interested in sponsoring intersex legislation or regulation:

Please reach out to our Law & Policy team for guidance. Legislation must be driven by intersex people. interACT is the most experienced intersex-led law and policy organization in the United States. interACT staff have years of experience with language, community input, and context with other issue areas that must be closely considered: reproductive rights, medical issues, transgender care, etc. We look forward to hearing from you.

For high school and undergraduate students researching intersex issues:

Thank you for your interest in intersex issues! While we’re not able to offer staff interviews, we’re grateful you’re here. We are happy to point you to resources. Some good places to start: our 4intersex education toolkit, our intersex brochures page, and our article resources section, where we collect information about all kinds of intersex topics.

For graduate students researching intersex issues:

Please see our research policy, if you are interested in studying intersex topics. If you are considering such topics, please get in touch! We’d love to get to know you and your work.

Kimberly, in a blue suit jacket, at the head of a table speaking with 4 others looking at her
interACT Executive Director Kimberly Zieselman counsels intersex staff and allies before a bill hearing. (Photo: Eler de Grey)