Comments on: Intersex and Trans Demands (Circa 2004)

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:18:49 +0000

Hi Laurie,

Thanks for commenting! I am not sure we actually disagree.

I understand that some intersex people also identify as transgender, and that intersex people who choose to change their gender/sex as a result of surgery performed without their consent are often labeled as transgendered or transsexual by the medical establishment. The reason I think it is important to separate intersex and trans is that there are differences in the experiences of intersex folks (even ones who self-identify as or are labeled as trans by others) and folks who are trans and not intersex. I think it is a disservice to all of us to be lumped into one big category.

All that said, I do think that intersex folks and trans folks who aren’t intersex have much in common and should work together (with a mutual understanding and respect for differences.) Trans folks in my community were some of my biggest allies when I came out and started speaking about my experiences as an intersex person. We felt invisible and marginalized in the activist circles we were working in at the time, and it was incredible to have folks to check-in with, not to mention having a group of folks to have your back when issues arose. This list came out of that very group of trans allies and myself.

Anyway, maybe that clarifies my thoughts on the issue. I would love to hear yours. Thanks for reading and posting!

Caitlin

By: Laurie V.

Laurie V. — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:33:56 +0000

I stumbled across this site by accident, my freakishly old computer is slow and sometimes the link you click, isn’t the one you were trying for. I’m intersex, and have no issue with answering questions, but I support and understand your rights to be left alone and volunteer when you want, if you want.
My only problem with the concept of this is intersex and that is transgender, is sometimes when the Intersex diagnosis is late in life( due to parents and doctors playing God) you technically fall into the “transgender” category by no fault of your own.

I’ll admit too, I have searched the net looking for “intersex photos” , not for any sick reason or fetish, but because I know my baby pictures were used as a “typical case” and I want to find the sites that have them and see if I can get them removed. Parents of newborns with what is commonly called ‘normal genitals” don;t need to see other naked infants to compare if their child looks okay, so I see no reason why scientists need to see my picture.

Best of luck with your work. We might not agree on everything, but we don’t have to.

Laurie

By: Intersex in Australia - OII Australia - Intersex List of Demands, Co-written by Caitlin Petrakis Childs

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:14:44 +0000

[...] found this list in a post by Atlanta, Georgia, intersex activist Caitlin Petrakis [...]

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Sat, 09 May 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Hey Sophia,

Thanks for your comments and feedback! I am glad you found some of the demands to be useful. I’m with you around critiques of gender theory (something I have grown more frustrated and disillusioned with over the years) and definitely think this list needs to be critiqued and expanded. I was excited to find that it had made it around the internet and hope that it can play a part in fostering more critical discussion.

Thanks again reading and participating!

Caitlin

By: Sophia K

Sophia K — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:12:12 +0000

I saw this on the Gainesville Lesbian Avengers (now defunct) website a while back and I still think it’s really awesome! There’s just a few things under the trans demands that I question as valuable (e.g. I don’t particularly like “gender theory” and I don’t think it’s necessary for people to know the mechanics of tucking and find it a little creepy that people would even want to know about it). But I REALLY, REALLY like that it addressed the whole “fucking with gender is hottttt!” issue and the academic abuse of trans and intersex lives.