Community
Crystal Hendricks: We are, as intersex people, we are powerful beyond measure and we've already done so much changes in the world, and I know there's so much more changes that needs to be done for intersex people to be free from harm.
Obioma Chukwuike: My name is Obioma Chukwuike, my pronouns are they/them. I'm from Nigeria and I live in Nigeria. I am the founder and the executive director of Intersex Nigeria, which was founded in 2019. I'm happy to have this community that accepts me, and a community I can run to at any given time. I know that their arms are open. I'm so happy for that. And I'm also happy that, just like Mani said earlier, the movement is growing.
Eliana Rubashkyn: It is just wonderful that you can finally connect with someone that understands you better than anyone else. Better than even your mom.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: We know as we grow up that some of us are cis, some of us are het, some of us are queer, some of us are trans*, some of us are non-binary. As a community we're really very diverse.
Hiker Chiu: That's how wonderful we are, you know? We are …
Crystal Hendricks: Definetly.
Hiker Chiu: There's no standard, there's no stereotype, don't think about that. You know, this is how wonderful we are!
Eliana Rubashkyn: There is a common ground that we share. And I say that we are indivisible because if we want to understand that all oppression in the world is connected – because all oppression in the world is connected – the only way that we can fight that oppression is if we are together. If we can actually fight against that oppression together.
Obioma Chukwuike: Something that we should be looking forward to doing soon, we should start having like an archive where we can be putting most of the works intersex activitst-led groups are doing around the world. How they are connecting together, doing movements, challenging stereotypes, and the whole lot. Because this would help the next generation to see that we did not just leave things for them. We tried our best as much we could to make the world better and sustainable for them.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: I agree, I mean we've created something out of nothing. Prior to 30 years we were just stories in medical textbooks. Maybe what this exhibition does is the start point for collecting the histories around the world, and I would like them to be in a safe place.
Obioma Chukwuike: I would like them to see if possible every step we have taken, if it's possible. Every big steps, every small steps. All of them matters. Everyone that has sweated, that has put in their effort, how they have done it, in their little ways, in their big ways. Because everybodys … it's a collective effort. Everybodys effort is important, is valuable.
Eliana Rubashkyn: I do have, obviously, role models. Every intersex person that made history and is known – not just for being intersex but because they change the world – I admire them. People in our community that have been doing this work for really long time, like Mani Mitchell. I also admire Herculine Barbin.
Obioma Chukwuike: Semenya, Caster, from South Africa, the athlete, is my hero and role model.
Crystal Hendricks: Also the founder of Intersex Southafrica that is laid, Sally Gross.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: One person I want to talk about is a person called Sally Gross.
Hiker Chiu: Definitely for earth, Africa and South Africa, she's just ... she's the one!
Luan Pertl: Mani Mitchell or Betsy Driver or Dan Christian Ghattas, who just showed so much strength and power, over and over again. And also Mauro.
Mauro Cabral Grinspan: Probably my role model is a Brazilian feminist called Sonia Corrêa.
Crystal Hendricks: I think definitely my role model would definitely be my mother. She raised us so well that now we can be confident, we can be out, we can be proud of us being intersex.
Obioma Chukwuike: And finally someone I've always looked up to when I was small was Nelson Mandela.
Luan Pertl: For me that's surely Audre Lorde.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: And then, like Obioma, it's been other intersex people, and I think we role model off each other and it's very much about a collective, I think.
Obioma Chukwuike: So these are the four people that are my role models in life for now. I wish to get more as I'm going. Because that's who I look up to. I want to be like them.
Obioma Chukwuike: My name is Obioma Chukwuike, my pronouns are they/them. I'm from Nigeria and I live in Nigeria. I am the founder and the executive director of Intersex Nigeria, which was founded in 2019. I'm happy to have this community that accepts me, and a community I can run to at any given time. I know that their arms are open. I'm so happy for that. And I'm also happy that, just like Mani said earlier, the movement is growing.
Eliana Rubashkyn: It is just wonderful that you can finally connect with someone that understands you better than anyone else. Better than even your mom.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: We know as we grow up that some of us are cis, some of us are het, some of us are queer, some of us are trans*, some of us are non-binary. As a community we're really very diverse.
Hiker Chiu: That's how wonderful we are, you know? We are …
Crystal Hendricks: Definetly.
Hiker Chiu: There's no standard, there's no stereotype, don't think about that. You know, this is how wonderful we are!
Eliana Rubashkyn: There is a common ground that we share. And I say that we are indivisible because if we want to understand that all oppression in the world is connected – because all oppression in the world is connected – the only way that we can fight that oppression is if we are together. If we can actually fight against that oppression together.
Obioma Chukwuike: Something that we should be looking forward to doing soon, we should start having like an archive where we can be putting most of the works intersex activitst-led groups are doing around the world. How they are connecting together, doing movements, challenging stereotypes, and the whole lot. Because this would help the next generation to see that we did not just leave things for them. We tried our best as much we could to make the world better and sustainable for them.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: I agree, I mean we've created something out of nothing. Prior to 30 years we were just stories in medical textbooks. Maybe what this exhibition does is the start point for collecting the histories around the world, and I would like them to be in a safe place.
Obioma Chukwuike: I would like them to see if possible every step we have taken, if it's possible. Every big steps, every small steps. All of them matters. Everyone that has sweated, that has put in their effort, how they have done it, in their little ways, in their big ways. Because everybodys … it's a collective effort. Everybodys effort is important, is valuable.
Eliana Rubashkyn: I do have, obviously, role models. Every intersex person that made history and is known – not just for being intersex but because they change the world – I admire them. People in our community that have been doing this work for really long time, like Mani Mitchell. I also admire Herculine Barbin.
Obioma Chukwuike: Semenya, Caster, from South Africa, the athlete, is my hero and role model.
Crystal Hendricks: Also the founder of Intersex Southafrica that is laid, Sally Gross.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: One person I want to talk about is a person called Sally Gross.
Hiker Chiu: Definitely for earth, Africa and South Africa, she's just ... she's the one!
Luan Pertl: Mani Mitchell or Betsy Driver or Dan Christian Ghattas, who just showed so much strength and power, over and over again. And also Mauro.
Mauro Cabral Grinspan: Probably my role model is a Brazilian feminist called Sonia Corrêa.
Crystal Hendricks: I think definitely my role model would definitely be my mother. She raised us so well that now we can be confident, we can be out, we can be proud of us being intersex.
Obioma Chukwuike: And finally someone I've always looked up to when I was small was Nelson Mandela.
Luan Pertl: For me that's surely Audre Lorde.
Mani Bruce Mitchell: And then, like Obioma, it's been other intersex people, and I think we role model off each other and it's very much about a collective, I think.
Obioma Chukwuike: So these are the four people that are my role models in life for now. I wish to get more as I'm going. Because that's who I look up to. I want to be like them.
