Stories of Change: Below, we share lived experiences stories, such as the journey to acceptance of oneself, coming out to the community and living freely from shame.
“I was born with ambiguous genitalia. A choice had to be made so I was raised a girl, restricted to do some things like using the bathroom when others are in it.
Years went by until I reached adolescence, were I shocked everyone. My voice broke, it became deep, it actually became as a scare.
We were the talk of the village, so had to move to start over and adjust to living as a boy and try to understand who I am.”
– Anonymous
“I was born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa, I was born intersexual but forced to live a life of a boy where as my hormones tell me that am a girl.
Some of my family members unclear my situation but some don’t, and of which it makes me feel insecure, because of that it turned to be difficult to accept myself as I am or was getting to my second stage of puberty.
The challenge in my second stage of puberty where to come out to my parents and family but most of my family members call me a sex worker. (isifebe)
The most painful experience is that my mother is a nurse I thought that she should understand my situation because she wanted me to be her son but my feelings and emotions narrate as a girl.
Just imagine your own mother calling her own child that. Just because I am into man and calls me a dog because I love wearing dresses and put on make up“
– Anonymous
“I am an intersex person and me coming out come with a lot of challenges like rejection from some of my family members and friends which led to my depression for over six months thinking that no one around me loved me, but I was wrong my mother gave me unconditional love no matter who I am and also at that time I started listening to an artist named J. COLE, which really saved me as his music addressed most of the problems that I faced in life and how he solved them. I am happy that my depression didn’t lead to drug addiction or suicide because I managed to find and view the people who are always there for me at an early stage in my life. Now I am proud of the person I have become, as I know no one can take my smile away from me, and in this whole process I managed to find God.“
– Anonymous
Intersex Advocate Trust Zimbabwe
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Intersex Advocate Trust 