Intersex exists.
In a move to stress that “I” in the LGBTQIA acronym – representing “intersex” people – exists, Intersex Philippines, Inc. (IXPI) has released “I Exists”, a coffee table book showcasing stories of intersex Filipinos, as well as guardians of intersex children in the Philippines, to “make others learn about the still largely misunderstood issues of the intersex community”.
Prepared with Outrage Magazine and Bahaghari Center for SOGIE Research, Education and Advocacy, Inc. (Bahaghari Center), with funding from RFSL under the Rainbow Advocacy Program (RAP), this is part of IXPI’s effort to highlight the issues of the intersex community in the Philippines through storytelling.
“Storytelling provides a platform to highlight the diverse experiences and identities of intersex individuals. By featuring intersex characters and narratives, we contribute in helping readers gain a deeper understanding of intersex lives and challenges. I strongly believe that stories have the power to evoke empathy and understanding,” said Jeff Balahadia Cagandahan, IXPI president. “By reading about the experiences of intersex people, we hopefully help readers connect with their struggles, breaking down stereotypes and promoting compassion and acceptance.”
In the Philippines, the Supreme Court (SC) actually already released a position that recognizes intersex people’s existence when it released a position on their right to self-determination. In 2008, the highest court of the land stated that when a person is “biologically or naturally intersex, the determining factor in his gender classification would be what the individual… having reached the age of majority, with good reason thinks of his/her sex.”
But intersex people continue to be disadvantaged.
For intersex Filipinos, intersex concerns include: enforced sex at birth of a newborn child; forced medical interventions (or “corrective” operations and treatments); social stigmatization, discrimination, and misunderstanding; and legal recognition.
The dream is “to establish a society where we can live authentically, free from discrimination, and with access to the same rights, opportunities, and respect as other persons,” said Cagandahan. But for now, “we tell our stories one at a time.”
