As an attempt to mainstream intersex people’s issues in gender and development efforts, be it in local government units, government and/or private agencies, or educational institutions, the Intersex Philippines, Inc. (IXPI) launched the “Intersex Caravan”, a country-wide initiative that “hopes to engage those in positions of power to make them more intersex-friendly”.
“(We want to) share awareness about intersex people,” said Jeff Cagandahan, co-founder and executive director of IXPI, “(about) their challenges and struggles to our stakeholders, the lawmakers and decision-makers, to help us include them (intersex people) in their GAD (efforts).”
This is because, stressed Cagandahan, “it is not improbable that they’d encounter intersex people. So it’s better if they know the right approach when dealing with intersex people.”
For Toni Gee Fernandez, who helms Mujer-LGBT Organization, which works with IXPI for “Intersex Caravan”, dealing with the issues of intersex people cannot be done by intersex people alone.
“Our target people (for the effort) are the focal people in gender efforts. They have the budget, and – at the same time – they are mandated to popularize gender and development in their localities. So it’s important that we institutionalize intersex inclusion.”
“Intersex Caravan” was piloted in Legazpi City in Albay Province, with support from Outright International and Gayon Albay, Inc.
