BRÓD is an LGBTI+ Community Group based in West Cork. A mix of LGBTI+ people and allies, the group’s mission is to ‘Support, Advocate and Increase Visibility’ for the LGBTI+ community in West Cork.

Our remit here at BROD is to promote the integration of LGBTI+ people in the community through information and visibility, and sometimes it can be that simple, just being seen. People often tell us that they don’t know any other gay people, or that they ‘have never met one’ and it seems that I can see the bewilderment melt from their faces, as they realise that I am pretty much the same as everyone else, not alien, not strange and not to be feared.

Of course I am, and have always been, visible, but it may depend on the circumstances as to which one of my persona you encounter. I have been a retailer, a bus driver, an exercise instructor, but it is in my role at BROD that I really get to present myself from the perspective of gender identity and sexual orientation. That has got to do with my personal identity, the image I present in public and the integration of my personas. We all seem to have a number of personas; the one we use at school or in the workplace can be quite different to the one we adopt socially, that can vary depending on which social group we are with; which is different again from the persona we use with family, which can vary depending on whether it is with your parents, your partner, your siblings or your children. It may depend on whether you are learning and listening, talking and teaching, looking for a favour or sorting someone out, who you are trying to impress, but the trick is trying to get them to match up. The closer you can get the different personas together, the more similar they are to each other, then, it seems, the easier your life will be. It can be exhausting putting on a front or presenting an image to appease or impress one group or another, but that really depends on how well you know yourself. 

People sometimes refer to their partners, wives or husbands, as their ‘other half’, I wonder is this abdication for the responsibility of the part of themselves that they are not so comfortable with; just ignore it, pretend it’s not there and cover it up with the persona of your ‘other’? We should be whole, dark and light, anima and animus. The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung famously introduced the concept of the shadow as part of our personality that we consider to be negative and so we repress. A concept embraced in Eastern cultures with the balance of yin and yang, it is the light that creates the shadow, one does not exist without the other, and both are equally valuable, it is our attitude that needs to improve.

We make friends at particular stages in life, often in groups. If we are lucky we have friends from home, where we grew up, or they could be our school friends, from early school or later school. As country people we may travel to third level with them or pick up new batch there, a whole new life, a blossoming, and so on as we change jobs and move locations, but it is always easiest to present yourself as you are right from the start. It may be part of the motivation felt by many LGBTI+ people to move away from home that the people we were closest to in our childhood may not expect us to ‘grow up gay’; some of them may reject us and we find it more liberating to start again somewhere else, in better company. It is literally easiest for me to introduce myself to someone I have never met before with ‘Hi, I’m Mark and I’m gay’ though, as you can imagine, this is often not appropriate, so in reality I try to introduce that fact, ideally, into our first conversation. And if it is a bit of a showstopper it’s not my fault that often people can still make the assumption that all people are straight.

But there is a ship I have seen over the last three of four years that is beginning to turn around. Sadly conservative politics is on the rise in formerly freer societies, all of the Americas and across continental Europe. Tolerance is no longer viewed as a strength and a gift by people who feel that they are losing their grip, and I have met not only Irish people who have lived their lives abroad opting to return here but I have also met LGBTI+ people born abroad now looking up their European heritage and choosing to come to live here, in retirement, as a preferred option. We ought to be very proud; it gives us another chance to show how the Celtic moral code of ‘Generous, Faithful and Brave’ serves us all to make a better society. But could you imagine what it could be like, entering into a new environment, later in life, having lived abroad for many years, openly, as yourself, and finding you have to go back into the closet out of fear of misunderstanding? Having to hide your identity for fear of abuse?  

It would be nice to think that we could do something to make sure that all good people know they are welcome and safe here. Visibly promote public policies of acceptance and inclusion of all people. Particularly for vulnerable people who may be entering into sheltered accommodation. But what we can start practising from today is not making assumptions about who we really are.

by Mark Holland 

Hats off to all at the Community and Family Resource Centre in Skibbereen for hosting the events and looking after us all so well for the month of June. It is the first time that West Cork has had its own dedicated LGBTI+ inclusive space, and that alone has made such a difference and meant so much to so many marginalised people. It all culminated last Tuesday with a closing ceremony at the Uillinn Arts Centre, with the assembled crowd enjoying the same high standard of refreshments, live music, and the opportunity to reflect, that we had been treated to for the whole month.

It was a month packed full of events, educational and social, that all began with the newly appointed LGBTI+ Development Officer, David Campos, assembling, with the help of many hands, 300 Pride packs. The packs included badges, stickers, balloons, flags, bunting, information leaflets and a programme of events. David and his helpers then went out, on foot and by car, to every single business in Skibbereen, to deliver, in person, invitations to all of the events, and the materials to decorate and display on premises the welcoming colours of inclusion for all diverse minorities.

The Centre itself is a fabulous resource that feels like it was purpose-built. It is opposite the old Courthouse building on North Street, just the after the playground if you are coming into town off the Cork road. It is a single storey premises on the same grounds as the ‘Spearline’ building, with easy access to all three spacious function rooms, and facilities. On June 1, they raised the flag outside and opened the Archive Exhibition inside, which remained on display to the public for the whole month. The exhibition, ‘Not Sick, Sinners or Criminals’, is the story of Cork’s LGBTI+ community during the 1970s and ‘80s compiled by archivist/activist Orla Egan, who witnessed it all in real time. As director, Orla came back on June 21 to present her film from around the same era, ‘I’m Here, I’m Home, I’m Happy’, which puts a warm glow of nostalgia on some of the experiences from back then.

Other events that were hosted there during the month were; Awareness Training, presented by LINC, Transgender Issues, presented by TENI, and Choir practice and performance with Liz, which leads us to the high point of the month, Pride day on June 18. So, taking the show on the road with all staff and management on board, we set up an information stall at the Farmer’s Market, and had great fun with conductor Liz regaling the market-goers and stall-holders with a stunning rendition of our newly crafted masterpiece of singing. Later, back at the Ranch, on North Street, we had a full afternoon of live music, headlined by the Youth Group, playing to a decent crowd with food and craic.

The month is over but the initiative is only beginning. David started up LGBTI+ Movie Nights for over-18s in May and this will continue on. The movies are shown weekly on Fridays at seven o’clock in the Centre. There is a big screen and comfy chairs, with refreshments, and it’s all free of charge. We are also awaiting the arrival of a couple of hundred new book titles to set up an LGBTI+ Library at the centre. Information about next week’s film, upcoming events, and anything else that’s happening will be posted up on Instagram and Facebook @skibbereencfrc. It is up to us now, the West Cork LGBTI+ community, and supporters’ club, to get behind this initiative and come out and get involved. To show that it is wanted and vital to the improved wellbeing of all of us in West Cork. It would be wonderful if people were to come forward with suggestions of activities that they would like to attend, like choir practice, table-tennis, or anything else that you think you would like to do in a group that would get a crowd out.

By Mark Holland

June is Pride month and this year it’s all happening at the Community and Family Resource Centre in Skibbereen.

We often gets asked at workshops why would someone be proud of being LGBTI+; what are you being proud about? We usually frame the answer within the context of the guilt, shame and stigma that has been associated with being LGBTI+ in the dogma of the educational and social institutions through which we were reared.

It amazes me that while the social environment has changed so much in the forty years since I was in school, with open discussion, decriminalisation and the appearance of role models in the arts, the experience of young students remains so much the same, with prejudice and discrimination associated with feelings of guilt and shame. Because of stigma, in too many cases, it is still easier to emigrate than it is to come out.

The environment here in West Cork, now, is more liberal than in some other parts of the country, with a healthy, happy proportion of the population living openly integrated LGBTI+ lives. But many of us are people who have settled here or returned having lived the middle part of our lives abroad, it still remains that too many of our young LGBTI+ friends, family and neighbours feel the need to leave to live their lives openly, without the burden of stigma. And often Cork or Dublin are not far away enough, which is great for people who have friends living abroad and who thrive in a new environment, but not for people who feel isolated, who feel they have no option and who would rather be near their families.

I was reading a piece recently about ‘straitjackets’. The first recorded mention of them was by Irish physician David McBride in 1772. Medical interventions from this era were cruel by modern standards, straitjackets were typically used to restrain people who may cause harm to themselves or others.

Before the American Civil War (1861 – ’65) the mentally ill were forced to live in poorhouses, workhouses or prisons, forced to live with criminals, treated likewise, locked in cells and even chained to walls. Not understanding the causes of mental illness, it was variously put down to religious excitement, possession, sunstroke, or reading novels. Strict discipline was prescribed to help patients regain control over their morals, with the use of straitjackets. Unlike patients who were anchored, straitjackets allowed some freedom of movement, patients could ‘stroll outdoors’, reaping the benefits of both control and fresh air.

Growing up is not easy for any of us, we all struggle to fit in; for me the heterosexist environment that we were schooled in, weirdly, by unmarried Christian brothers was like a straitjacket. And with the dedication of an escape artist, I spent my time trying to get out of it, to the constant disapproval of ‘letting everyone down’. 

So having Pride in my multi-coloured Queer Identity is not only important but a vital part in a journey of self-discovery.

The Timetable of Events taking place this month in Skibbereen (at the Community and Family Resource Centre, North St. unless otherwise stated):

 June 1: Launch at 11am, with the Archive Exhibition ‘Not Sick, Sinners or Criminals’, Cork’s LGBT community 1970s & ‘80s. This exhibition will be on display at the centre every Friday for the month of June from 6 to 9pm.

1.30 to 3.30pm, Youth Music Group practice, this will also take place on June 8 and 17.

June 2: LGBTI+ Awareness Training, 10am to 3pm.

June 3: LGBTI+ Film Night @ 7pm, with refreshments and chat; this also takes place every Friday night, June 10, 17 and 24.

June 9: Drop In, 11am to 1pm.

June 13: ‘The State of Transgender Issues in Ireland Today’ at 7pm, presented by guest speaker Hannah Solley from TENI.

June 16: Adult Choir Practice, 7.30 to 9.30pm in preparation for Pride Day on June 18.

June 18: PRIDE DAY. Come visit the stall at the Saturday Farmers’ Market 10am to 12. Kayaking on the Ilen, to be confirmed. Join the party afterwards at the Centre, from 3 to 6pm.

June 21: Film ‘I’m Here, I’m Home, I’m Happy’, 7 to 9pm. Presented by Director Orla Egan, archivist.

June 22: Drop In, 3 to 5pm.

June 23: Living Well with HIV in Ireland Today, Presented by Will Kennedy, followed by Documentary.

June 27: Special Family Movie Night, 5 to 7pm

June 28: Closing Event at Uillinn Coffee Shop, 7 to 9pm

Also in Clonakilty at the Community Resource Centre, Every Tuesday, 12.30 to 2pm, LGBTI+ Tea, Coffee & Chat!

Just for clarity and as a reminder, here is a short definition of Gender Dysphoria and the term ‘trangender’: Transgender refers to people who don’t identify with their biologically defined sex but identify with the opposite gender or have any other form of gender identity outside of the binary system of male and female (for example ‘non-binary’ identity or ‘gender fluid’ gender identity). 

Gender Dysphoria is the medical and diagnosis term for the same, that is given after psychological assessment by a Psychologist or Psychiatrist. Most transgender people who identify with the opposite gender of their biological sex wish to undergo medical treatment to align their bodies to how they truly feel. This includes hormone treatment and gender confirming surgeries. Most transgender people are also in need of psychotherapy to help and support them on this difficult journey in their lives. 

Once a person starts their transitioning journey, they usually try (and need to) access the following services:

Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy can help and support the person questioning their gender and experiencing gender dysphoria to understand these feelings better. It also aims at supporting the person throughout the many different stages of the transitioning journey. Many transgender people also suffer from depression, social anxiety, low confidence or other mental health problems as a result of their gender dysphoria and psychotherapy aims at helping with these also. 

Clinical Psychology/Psychiatry: Any transgender person who wishes to access medical treatment (hormones or surgeries) needs to undergo a clinical assessment to determine if all criteria for the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria are present and the person is ready and advanced enough in their transitioning journey to access this next step of medical transitioning. Often this process goes parallel and alongside psychotherapy, but sometimes they are sought out independently from each other. 

Assessment of Gender Dysphoria usually requires three to six sessions.

Endocrinology: Once a transgender person has an official diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria and has been assessed as eligible for hormone treatment, they are referred to an endocrinologist for hormone treatment.

Hormone treatment involves the administration of ‘hormone blockers’ and ‘cross-sex hormones’, which significantly either ‘masculinise’ or ‘feminise’ the person’s body in different ways. 

Surgeries: After being on hormone treatment for at least six-12 months, transgender people can access sex reassigning surgeries (with approval from their Psychologist/Psychiatrist). Most of these surgeries are not performed in Ireland and patients need to access them through the HSE treatment abroad scheme in the UK or privately anywhere else in the world.

Unfortunately we are not doing very well as a country regarding these healthcare services for transgender people. First of all, we still don’t have clear defined medical pathways and treatment protocols for transgender healthcare that are specific to Ireland. As a result, professionals of different disciplines who work in this area have to refer to (different) international guidelines and treatment protocols. 

Over the last few years great effort has been put into creating a public ‘National Gender Service’ for adult transgender people in Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin in which different services (Psychiatry, Endocrinology, speech and language therapy) are offered. However, this service is completely under resourced and waiting times are currently up to four years to get a first appointment.

Things are even more dire for children and adolescents. For the last few years, Crumlin Hospital had partnered with the UK Tavistock clinic to be able to offer psychological assessment, support and medical services to under-18-years-old transgender people in Ireland. A team of professionals flew in from the UK every six weeks to hold a specific gender clinic in Crumlin Hospital. However, funding for this service has run out, and currently no public services exist for this age group. The HSE is in the process of creating an Irish based service, which will hopefully commence soon, but long waiting times will be expected for this service also.

The only alternative to this is the private sector, meaning transgender young people and adults have to pay themselves for all necessary health care, including psychotherapy, psychological assessment, hormone treatment and often surgeries. Unfortunately not all transgender people have the relevant means to do so. For those who can afford private healthcare, a small network of highly skilled and experienced professionals of different disciplines exist and work together (this author being one of them).

Many Transgender and LGBT+ advocacy groups are rallying for better public services and often approach the HSE and the government to highlight the urgent need for more funding and resources. The long waiting times in the public sector are detrimental to many transgender people’s mental health and add to their stresses and suffering. 

If you are a transgender person or a family member of a transgender person wishing to start the journey of gender change, your GP is usually a good starting point. The GP can refer to the public services. Making contact with a psychologist or psychotherapist who is experienced in transgender matters is also a good first step to get help and support that is often very much needed. Professionals who are working in private practice can usually be contacted directly without a referral needed.

The Transgender Equality Network (TENI) is also a good point of reference. They can often recommend professionals working in this area but also provide support groups for transgender people and their families in various different places in Ireland.

Although these healthcare service are only needed by a small minority of people, it is of utmost importance that they exist and are accessible to the people who need them.

Therefore it is important that non-transgender people (Cis-people) like myself raise awareness about the shortcomings of our health system and if there is anything within our power to do something, to act accordingly.

by Mark Holland

One of the things that we get to do at BROD is to facilitate schools’ workshops through the national charity ShoutOut, who’s aim is to promote acceptance of LGBT+ people in the school environment through education. During these workshops we obviously encourage Questions, and a question that comes up regularly is ‘why does there need to be more than just two genders?’ Which I like to turn on its head in reply and say, ‘how come we commonly only recognise two?’ which is simply binary, female and male…and nothing else, and that seems to be a relatively recent phenomenon. The evidence is there that older cultures were fully aware of, and many embraced, the presence in their societies of non-binary gender identities, as well as a variety of sexual orientations, however, as human civilisation developed, basic education for all was introduced, and the fundamentals of Biology 101 were laid down. As with all subjects and sciences the fundamentals had to be a fairly simple framework, for all to get a handle on, and if an individual was going to further their studies in more depth, then they would go beyond the simple agreed understandings. Unfortunately, with time, these simple understandings can get set in stone and become established as facts and truths, which conjures up all kinds of confusion, disagreements and fear that if we allow this new train of thought to take hold what is to become of us all, and what will be next?!

Privilege is something that we probably all know about but very few of us are aware of. We know about the privilege of people who are economically and/or socially better off than we are, we know about the plight of people who are obviously less well off than ourselves, but we often tend to see ourselves at this imaginary ground zero point, a kind of ‘centre of the universe’ scenario, totally unaware of the common, everyday privileges that we enjoy. A result of a survey that was carried out amongst women, when asked ‘What would you do if there were no men?’ a common answer was, ‘I would go walking at night time.’

When I heard this for the first time I immediately laughed and thought, well, they should be a bit more brave like me, and then I thought maybe I’m missing the point, and then I became a bit embarrassed internally, and then I became ashamed. Firstly, ashamed at being a man and secondly, for being totally unaware of a privilege that I didn’t even know existed. Of course no woman has anything to fear from me walking the streets at night time, and I will willingly offer (male) protection to any woman who does wish to step out after dark, and that is so grossly missing the absolute point as to be another factor reinforcing discrimination.

In 1989 an American professor, Kimberle Crenshaw, first used the term Intersectionality in an Essay; since then, there has been a lot of research into the subject that I can’t pretend to have a complete understanding of, but it has been described as an Interlocking Matrix of Oppression. The factors that make up this matrix vary but they are generally; Sex, Disability, Racial Identity, Gender, Sexuality, Social Class, Physical Appearance and Nationality. There are a lot of studies available on the internet about this subject that if you have an interest in I would recommend you spend a bit of time reading, because it is the kind of subject that takes time to begin to understand, it is not the kind of thing that we can read about and hope to flip a switch, within ourselves or our society. We have been socialised through our education system to accept certain norms, that’s how things become ‘socially acceptable’, sometimes things that can be quite bizarre or even outrageous when looked at through a different lens. It really is not enough just to tell boys that they should be more aware and considerate of the opposite sex, we need a change of culture, and this is something that should have started happening long before now. 

There seems to be this acceptance within our culture that males are entitled, often even expected, to get angry about things and females calm the situation and soothe them, and I see this as a gender issue rather than one of sex, male toxicity is not the preserve of men. My mind boggles when I think that at the last general election, out of all the Cork constituencies, we returned only one Woman TD, that’s one out of eighteen, and I can’t understand why women voted for a Misogynist to be president of America five years ago. Education exists far beyond the schools, now. We have limitless access to wonderful resources if used properly. We spend our whole lifetimes learning and informing ourselves to become better people, and we need to change ourselves to become aware of the short-comings of our behaviour and attitudes to create an egalitarian society.

A new year, a new start? When we shed the remnants of the old year like snakeskin and shimmy into our shiny new fresh starts, our intentions tend towards the positive. Changes, resolutions, ambition and determination. For the most part, these noble thoughts often turn to dust after a couple of weeks. Hard to maintain, maybe unrealistic and January being the longest month of the year, are all barriers to our success. I stopped the merry-go-round of resolutions many years ago, my unrequited desires for myself were left behind. My willpower and need to fulfil my changes were low. Instead of berating myself every February, I gave myself a break. My internal monitor was sent on annual leave. The pressure to get fit, eat less shite, maintain a skin care regime – all went away too. 

For those who remember, 22-years-ago we had just survived the ‘millennium bug’. Twenty years ago we exchanged the Irish punt for the euro. In 2004 the smoking ban was introduced and in 2006 Zappone v. Revenue Commissioners (2006) was brought before the High Court…and failed. Four notable points in history at the starting point of the new century. As we made our way through the difficulties of the Celtic Tiger and its fatal end point, we rolled toward further important events, with particular reference to the LGBTI+ community. The Gender Recognition Act was passed in 2015, as was the Marriage Equality Act, after a successful campaign on the island of Ireland and further afield. We arrive now, in 2022, with a couple of eventful years behind us. I really do not think that anyone will forget the years 2020-2022, in fact, they could be called ‘The Covid Years’ in the future and be relegated to the vaults. I cannot imagine another time in history where such a huge volume of commentary has been created. To curate this section of historical discourse, will surely be a mammoth task. I am interested in people, the way they work, the way they interact, relationships with the world and the inner self, society and its formation, regulation and the resistance that may be shown to conformity. The way we, as people, like to collect, gather together, reject each other and try to survive. Our reasons for being, are as many as there are people; we are here, we exist. Within this, we must navigate the complexities of human emotion, we strive to be ‘better’, more complete, fulfilled. Sometimes, we get lost and the life raft that we cling to may be stuffed full of paper and straw. It is easy to sink in the rough sea of life. Sometimes, we need a hand, some empathy, a listening ear. We need other people to make sense of ourselves and our world. 

The last two years have highlighted this need for companionship and the peaceful presence of calm reassurance that we are ok, that there is someone out there to hear our voice. We have been thrust into an unnatural space, we are online, not in each other’s arms. We are divided and isolated. We are not following our human patterns of socialising, loving, fighting, laughing and crying. There is a sadness and apathy that can all too easily settle into our bones. LGBT Ireland conducted ‘The Life in Lockdown Snapshot Survey’ in late 2020 and received 1855 responses. They discovered that 62 per cent of people reported a decline in their mental health, which they confirmed was “substantially higher than the 51 per cent impact in the general population” (LGBT Ireland, 2020). Feelings of isolation, anxiety, sadness, loneliness and anger were discussed, lack of physical touch and being cut off from the community were also central issues. One respondent mentioned “our queer spaces aren’t open so it is difficult to feel like we belong, especially in rural areas” (LGBT Ireland, 2020). BeLonGTo also conducted a survey, ‘Life in Lockdown’, in May of 2020 and captured the responses of 294 young LGBTI+ people between the ages of 14-23. Of this number, 93 per cent of LGBTI+ young people were struggling with anxiety, stress or depression at that time. Loneliness, challenging home environments and feelings of isolation were common key themes for this cohort.

We may become desensitised to the plight of others, our views may narrow as we are consumed by the events of the last two years. We must not forget that the same issues still exist for the more vulnerable in our communities, in fact, they are increased as we can see from the survey findings above. You may be thinking at this stage of the article that the outlook is grim, luckily, it is not. We have some wonderful resources and supports in Ireland. Slowly, steadily and surely evolving to suit the needs of the LGBTI+ community. The gathering of information about the lives of people in times of difficulty is important. Without it, we would not know what people need and further, we would not know what to provide. 

Throughout the ‘Covid Years’, BeLonGTo have adapted their work with young people to include digital youth work, digital youth groups, free online training for educators and facilitating spaces for youth workers to share ideas and support each other to support their young people. Shoutout has moved all of its LGBTI+ workshops online and updates their social media regularly with community news. Up Cork LGBT Youth project is available in the city for 15-23-year-olds and down here in West Cork, we have Carbery Youth Services ‘Rainbow Folx’ which runs from Clonakilty (The Shack) and Skibbereen (family resource centre) weekly. LGBT Ireland host the national LGBT helpline (1800 929 539), the transgender family support line (01 907 3707) and if you visit their website, you can avail of online chat and monthly peer support groups. TENI have continued to offer online support and advice for transgender people and have a lot of information on their website. 

Both LINC and the Gay Project in Cork have been continuing their good work throughout these times also and it is well worth visiting their social media/web for further local information. Seeding the County is another jewel in the Cork crown, a county-wide project to engage with and assess the needs of the LGBTI+ community in Cork county; they also have a community newsletter, which is a good way to keep up with local news. The Sexual Health Centre in Cork is providing great resources and support through many valuable initiatives. Sexual health hubs are popping up around the county, there is a HIV support campaign: ‘In the Know’ is a sexual health programme delivered to young gay and bisexual men and MSM, they offer free rapid HIV testing, STI testing (small charge) and all manner of other supports covering sexual health and wellbeing (they even post out free condoms!). Check them out! The INTO LGBT+ teachers group meets six times a year and has lots of information about social groups and events on their website and social media pages. Finally, GCN (Gay Community News) is such a fantastic source of information and news for the LGBTI+ community, I would recommend that anyone dip into this publication to broaden knowledge and keep up with current LGBTI+ news.

So, back to 2022. What’s ahead? The changes that have come about since the start of this century are far reaching. The LGBTI+ community has achieved so much in terms of progressing fundamental rights, raising awareness, changing laws, sharing personal stories, being generous with others and facilitating acceptance. One more step towards ensuring equity and equality in Irish society is underway, a working group is currently examining ways in which the Irish State can exonerate gay men that were charged under laws that have since been repealed, it is hoped that this process will begin before the end of this year. This is long overdue there is no doubt. This brings me to my final point. We have had a confusing and challenging two years, our own struggles can sometimes overwhelm us and make it difficult for us to think of others. I have decided to take up a couple of resolutions again this year. They aren’t about fitness, skin care or healthy eating. They cost nothing and also give good returns…Kindness and empathy.

In the midst of a global pandemic and different stages of lockdown, BROD has been very limited in the ability to create, facilitate or share events and initiatives for the LGBTI+ community. However, we have been actively working in the background on different projects, one of them being the creation of a youth service for young LGBTQI+ people and their allies. 

Together with the YMCA Carbery Youth Service we applied for funding for a LGBTI+ specific youth service and we are very happy to announce that our application was successful and initial funding has been granted. This has allowed ‘Rainbow Folx’’ to come alive, a social and befriending support group for LGBTI+ young people and allies in Clonakilty. Rainbow Folx runs Tuesdays from 3-7pm in ‘The Shack’ (YMCA), 10 Astna Street in Clonakilty. Carbery Youth Service are working closely with Skibbereen’s Community and Family Resource Center to develop further supports for young people in Skibbereen.

Rainbow Folx aims to provide a safe, social and relaxed environment for the young LGBTI+ community and is aimed at people between 15 and 20 years of age. It is run by youth workers from the YMCA Carbery Youth Service with the support of  BRÓD.

In this month’s column we speak to April Tambling, the youth worker who facilitates the Rainbow Folx meetings in Clonakilty every Tuesday.

April, you have been running the Rainbow Folx space for the last few weeks in Clonakilty. Can you tell us a little more about this space and what young people can expect when attending?

RainbowFolx is a project very close to my heart, and I’m so delighted that I’ve been given the opportunity to facilitate the project in Clonakilty. The idea behind the project is to create a safe space for young people, where they can engage in peer to peer support – a relaxed social environment for the LGBTI+ community in the area. I also like to encourage people to ask questions, so we can explore the answers together in a judgement-free zone. For the past few weeks in the group, we’ve been doing some artwork to hang up in the space, while learning about different labels and sharing our stories!

Is it ok for allies (non-LGBTQI+)  friends to come along to RainbowFolx?

Of course! Everyone is welcome in the space. It’s a gender and sexuality alliance, the space is for people of the LGBTI+ community and allies, to learn about and support each other. I will say however that the age group we are currently working with falls between ages 15-20.

It is great to finally have a LGBTQI+ space for young people in Clonakilty. It is such an important resource. Can you let us know what else goes on in ‘The Shack’ in Clonakilty and what services are available to all young people, independent of their sexual or gender identity?

From my experience, the YMCA  Carbery Youth Services is very much a youth space that can adapt based on the needs of the young people that are using the space at any given time. There’s a Friday youth group that uses the space at the moment and there’s been a game of Monopoly going on for the past few weeks! We offer a studio space for recording music, board games, playstation games, record player, art and crafts… When a young person comes into a YMCA Carbery Youth Services space, they should feel free to explore and make the space their own. The most recent project the Shack got involved in was the scarecrow competition. The young people got together to come up with concept ideas – and while we didn’t win the competition, it was a lot of fun building the scarecrow together! 

Young people in The Hive, which is the youth space in the Skibbereen Family Resource Centre, which runs every Thursday evening, are working on a film project and young people from both The Shack and The Hive were involved in creating a podcast called Cork Brave’s Youth, which featured brave stories from young people, showcasing their creativity and connecting communities and young people in Cork. There has been lots of sport and physical activity happening as well including soccer with young people in Dunmanway, outdoor gyms and kayaking trips. And of course, like every good Irish establishment, we also offer a cuppa and a chat! 

As a Psychologist, I am often working with young LGBTQI+ people who feel very shy and apprehensive about going to a social group like Rainbow Folx. They do really want to join and make new friends, but feel very insecure and overwhelmed in regards to taking the first step into a new space full of strangers. Do you have any advice or suggestions that might be reassuring or helpful to them? 

This is so normal, I sometimes get anxious going into new groups! The Rainbowfolx space is so chill and friendly, there’s no pressure to join in on any activities when you do show up. On a Tuesday, I’m free in the space from 12PM onwards, so they can feel free to pop in before the group really kicks off at 4PM, and get to know me first. I know it can be easier to just meet one new person at a time.

What do you enjoy most when working with young people from the LGBTQI+ community?

As a youth worker, I really enjoy knowing I’m facilitating a space that young people from the community can safely engage in, and get the peer to peer support they need. It’s so important young people of the LGBTI+ community feel they have a space. Because of homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, etc, it can often be scary to come out, and that can be lonely. As someone who identifies with the LGBTI+ community myself, I enjoy meeting new people that bring a different perspective of the community to my attention. Even as someone within the community, I’m still learning!

Is there anything else you would like people from West Cork to know about the work you are doing? 

I’d like to reassure the people of West Cork that Rainbowfolx is a safe, non judgemental, non-directive space for young LGBTI+ people and their allies. Peer to peer support is, in my opinion, the best support we can offer a young person when questioning their sexuality or gender identity. We never tell a young person who they are, just support them in becoming who they want to be. As youth workers we can offer empathy and a listening ear as well as practical support with education, employment and future direction and of course opportunities to connect with other young people and have fun together.  I’d also love to get more involved in the local community, so if someone could point me to the best coffee shop, that would be great!

What is BROD about, like ‘what do we do?’ is a question we keep asking ourselves. We know what we are for but what are we actually doing? It’s possibly a question that a lot of Local Community Groups (LCGs) have been asking themselves lately, for different reasons, but unfortunately we never really got off the starting blocks. Our genesis collided with Covid and the rest has been a right pain for all of us!

We were more or less formed out of a need for some group to organise a Pride event during the summer of 2019. Having barely survived that, there is a lot that goes into organising a street party, we all got back in touch six months later with a view to organising another one, and to develop the potential of a West Cork LGBTQI+ hub, and then lockdown came along and poured a big cold bucket of water over our party plans, and any other plans we may have had to develop and grow as a local group. Now, any community group is only as good as its members, and we don’t really have any. Of course Covid did throw up some opportunities, and there is a lot you can achieve online, but online takes the L out of LCG, and it could be counter-productive to compete with the already established  LGBT+ groups who are themselves struggling to maintain critical mass online. 

So without any funds, paid staff or space, there is a limit to what we can do. Visibility is the primary function of any organisation whose core remit is inclusion. Exclusion is only ever based on fear of the unknown and once we are seen and recognised we invariably become embraced and integrated as functioning responsible contributors to the community we live in as ourselves.  Getting these monthly columns out in the local community paper is one thing, chomping at the bit to get organising the next possible West Cork Pride is another; we are currently working with local youth groups with specific LGBT+ training, and we are also associated with organisations who run school workshops, two of which come in for special mention here:        

First is ShoutOut, a charity that promotes inclusion of diversity through education by delivering workshops to students, parents, guardians, teachers, youth workers and workplaces. The reason that they deserve a special mention is because after the midterm break they will be launching their all new online workshops complete with animation that can be presented in any school, anywhere, anytime via zoom. These workshops are free of charge and designed for purpose to fit into the school timetable of a 45-minute class, any teacher, student or parent can contact them at education@shoutout.ie for information or to organise a workshop. These workshops are tailor made for TY students but are suitable for all first to sixth years, it would be an achievement to aim for all of the secondary schools in West Cork hosting ShoutOut workshops this and every academic year.

The other organisation deserving of special mention is BeLonG To, who every November run a ‘Stand Up Awareness Week’ specifically designed for Secondary schools. This year’s programme will be run from November 15-19, and as usual finishes on the Friday with its Gala #ComeIn event, for all of the students to come to school that day wearing a top the colour of one of the six colours of the rainbow to demonstrate diversity and inclusion in a positive and engaging way. The guide and resources for ‘Stand Up Awareness Week’ were sent out to every second-level school and Youthreach in the country two weeks ago. The Guide is exhaustive with a whole programme of events to plan a week around with lots of instructions, strategies and goals, a perfect project to get stuck into, with advice also on how to establish ongoing supports throughout the year with Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSA). For more information and to get your free Stand Up 2021 Digital Pack, contact sinead@belongto.org. 

Besides all of that, for now, we hope to act as an information and signposting service for all of the local people who contact us. We direct people to the appropriate services and groups that may be available to them around the county, city or nationally, and we do have plans, now that social restrictions seem to be lifting, to establish a local social group with a purpose, so watch this space and hopefully we will have something taking shape, for real, before this year’s end.     

“Approximately 4,000 school teachers are hiding their sexuality due to discrimination fears” (INTO, 2021)

When I started to think about this article, back to school was in full swing. It had crept up on me this year; the summer had whizzed by and suddenly, my youngest two children were asking for pieces of new uniform and other such things that are required for the back to school bonanza. My other four were moving along, out of school and expanding their horizons. All of the normal sequences of life were clicking into place, as was the case every September, yet another year on. This merry dance, the juggle of lidless lunch boxes and huge school bags, checking hand-me-down school jumpers for holes and, of course, buying exam papers (yet again and again and again). Waiting for the school bus; “Was it early? Is it late? Who knows! I’m driving you in or I’ll be late for work…” Familiar statements that happen every September while we try to navigate our way out of the freedom of summer and into a formal and structured existence once again. Tired teens plugging themselves back into the system for yet another year. Parents and carers attempting to send their children back to school in proper uniform. Buying shoes only to be told; “No boots, no white bits, black laces” and so on. The usual hubbub that is worthy of a slapstick comedy if only it were funny.

In 2015, a bill was passed in the Dáil; ‘The Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013’. The bill amended the provisions of Section 37(1) of the Employment Equality Act. In a nutshell, Section 37 had allowed for discrimination against workers based on their sexual orientation and family status. Back in 2000, schools in Ireland that were run by religious institutions, were exempt from certain areas of equality law due to the considerations of their religious ethos and consequent teachings. These exemptions were passed by the European Equality Directive at the time and allowed schools, underpinned by a religious ethos, to discriminate against employees. The passing of the bill in 2015 was welcomed by advocacy groups and teachers unions. At the time, the director of education policy in GLEN (The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network), Sandra Irwin-Gowran, said; “It provides a critical springboard for the cultural change needed in our schools – change that ensures all people, whether they’re working or learning, can do so in an environment that is welcoming and affirming of who they are” (O’Brien, 2015). This statement resonates with me in the return to school tsunami. The progress that has been made over a number of years regarding inclusion, equity, equality and breaking down stigma is great. The LGBT+ community is visible in the media, through awareness campaigns, on film, in our society and our families. But are they visible in our schools? Despite the passing of the bill in 2015, the INTO (Irish National Teachers Organisation) still suggest that there are many teachers that are not comfortable “revealing their true identities in schools” (McKeown, 2021). The INTO president, Joe McKeown, suggests that “when the patron of a school feels that the actions of LGBT+ teachers are intrinsically disordered, it is difficult for LGBT+ teachers to feel protected or valued”. This is a stark reality that many of us do not have to consider in our working lives. 

That the very core of our human selves could be diminished in such a way is hard to take on board. This leads me to ask this question. If our LGBT+ teachers are feeling unsupported and fearful, what is the knock-on effect of this to our children? 

Our children spend vast amounts of their childhood and teenage years in the formal school environment. This is a formative time, in their social and emotional development, as well as the academic side of things. The aim of school may be formal learning with a hope towards college and work, but in reality, school life is mostly about the social learning that is accrued.

School life for teenagers is rolled-up skirts, skinny pants, hoodies, earrings, nose rings, ring rings, belly tops in PE, make up, normal hair, coloured hair, shaved heads and beards, spots, sweat, puberty. Kids being pantsed, first years being pocketed or bushed, older kids with cars, older kids with no cars, kids with no money, kids who have lost a parent, normal kids and weird kids, musical kids and sporty kids, first kisses and raging hormones. Thoughts of sex, having sex, not having sex. Discos, backs of buses, rites of passage, friends, enemies and everything in between and around the sides. My point is, being young, being a teenager, is exciting and terrifying. New experiences and risk taking are par for the course. Feelings of belonging, feelings of isolation, both wanting attention yet hating it too. The extremes of covering and uncovering the developing body. The revealing and exploring of sexuality. The exploration of identity. 

Amazing work is being carried out across the country, in our schools, colleges and advocacy services to raise awareness and support both LGBT+ adults and young people. Over the last couple of years there has been increasing pressure to ensure that our young people are supported appropriately in their places of education. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is currently undertaking a major review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in both primary and post-primary schools, and, within this, an inclusive programme on LGBT+ relationships is to be developed. An overhaul of the RSE/ SPHE programmes is welcomed, particularly by young people themselves. An example of this expression of need includes a study conducted by the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and the University of Limerick in 2020. The study was based upon 18 months of research over a cross-section of young people, education stakeholders and unions. One of the discoveries was that transgender and gender diverse youth feel marginalised within their post-primary schools and do not have the equality of educational opportunity as others. Other findings were that the “key transition challenges encountered by transgender and gender diverse youth included: misnaming and misgendering; restrictive uniforms, bathroom accessibility, staff prejudice, peer bullying, barriers to sports, and, a lack of support” (McBride, 2020). Only this year, in April, a new sex education programme for Catholic primary schools was developed by the Irish Bishops Conference (IBC). This included statements surrounding the fact that the Church’s teachings on marriage between men and women cannot be omitted and that “puberty is a gift from God. We are perfectly designed by God to procreate with him” (IBC, 2021). Considering the Vatican’s stance on same sex unions (that they cannot be blessed), is it appropriate that a relationships and sexuality programme for primary schools be developed and implemented when designed by Catholic Bishops? 

There has never been a better time to start these conversations. We are all entitled to our private beliefs, prayer, spirituality and moral standpoints. By writing this column, I am not attempting to impose my spiritual persuasions upon anyone. I am merely raising questions of inclusivity, respect, openness and feelings of safety. Our places of education are pillars of our society. They are hot houses of innovation, ideas, participation and growth. We must strive to support all who abide within the walls of these institutions; this includes teachers and students. Check out advocacy and education groups such as Shoutout, BeLonG To, LGBT Ireland and TENI. The CIT (now MTU) LGBT+ society launched its first Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) training day in 2020 and have consequently published guidelines on how to set up a gay/straight or gender and sexuality alliance in your secondary school. The INTO has formed an LGBT+ teachers group to support and advance the cause of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender primary school teachers. BeLonG To’s annual Stand Up Awareness Week takes place from November 15-19and is an opportunity for second level schools, youth services and Youthreach to take a stand against discrimination and bullying (loads of resources for educators available on the BeLonG To website). 

Huge work is being done to further advocate for our young people and their educators. Let’s keep the conversation going, create safe spaces and open our minds to a truly inclusive educational experience.

It is estimated that up to eight per cent of over-65s in Ireland may be lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. This is a group of people who are largely invisible within our society and have often been ignored. LGBT+ people in this age group experience different challenges to those faced by younger people. 

With decriminalisation only occurring in 1993, older people have been raised under the shadow of an unaccepting and conservative society. Owing to the stigma and discrimination faced by LGBT+ people many chose not to come out, with many older LGBT+ people entered opposite sex marriages and going on to have families. For these people coming out later in life has additional challenges, including feelings of guilt around the impact of coming out to their family. 

While some entered marriages, many others remained single and face issues around isolation and loneliness. In 2017 the LGBT Helpline reported that 14 per cent of calls were from older LGBT+ people. The main reasons for contacting the organisation were due to lack of social supports, isolation, and loneliness.

Recognising the unique challenges faced by older LGBT+ people has led to a number of supports established specifically for this demographic in recent years. These services are available nationwide or within County Cork: 

Older and Bolder Community – Online

LGBT Ireland provides the LGBTI+ Older and Bolder Online Community, offering weekly online coffee drop-in every Thursday at 3pm via Zoom for older members of our community with visiting guest speakers and online social activities, which is a great source of support for many.

For enquiries about this group, contact LGBT Ireland staff, James O’Hagan, at james@lgbt.ie. Or look up the Facebook group ‘LGBTI+ Older and Bolder Online Community’.

GOLD Coffee Morning
– Online

GOLD Coffee morning is a group for gay men over 50 to meet, socialise and chat with other guys of a similar age. Facilitated by staff and volunteers in a comfortable, safe space.

The Gay Project in Cork offer this virtual coffee morning for community members over 50 on Friday’s (12pm-3pm). To sign up, email: community@gayproject.ie to be sent the Zoom link.

Married Women’s Group
– Online

A group for women who are, or have been, in an opposite gender marriage or long term relationship offering a safe space for women to talk openly and confidentially with other women about similar experiences.

Every fourth Tuesday of each month from 7pm-9pm via Zoom. To sign-up for this group, please email: peersupport@lgbt.ie

Silver Scribblers

Lesbians in Cork (LINC) is a resource centre for lesbian and bisexual women based in Cork. The Silver Scribblers initiative is aimed at older LB women who would like to regularly receive a letter in the post from a trained LINC volunteer.

If you or someone you know would like to hear from LINC, please phone 021-4808600 or email ciara@linc.ie.

LGBTI+ Telefriending Service

The Telefriending Service offers a once a week telephone call for LGBT+ people over 50 by a friendly volunteer who is trained and garda vetted. Telefriending provides friendship, security and support to alleviate loneliness, isolation and improve overall mental health and well-being. It is also a great opportunity for members to talk regularly with other people who also identify as members of the LGBTI+ community. Go to www.lgbt.ie/telefriending/ to sign up.

In addition to these resources specifically for older people, the National LGBT Helpline is available on 1890 929 539 operating Monday-Thursday 6.30pm-10pm and Saturday & Sunday 4-6pm.

Finally, as well as support for older LGBT+ people there is also the Straight Spouses Online Group which is a group for people who are, or have been, married or in a long term heterosexual relationship with someone who has disclosed that they now identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or who are questioning their sexuality or gender identity. This group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 7pm-9pm via Zoom. To sign-up for this group, please email: peersupport@lgbt.ie

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art, not Japanese, but as neighbouring countries and cultures, it takes some bravery to go over there to compete in their sport and expect to win. At 22-years-of-age that’s what our Jack Woolley did, representing his country, Ireland explains Mark Holland. He was ranked as number six in the competitors and intended to improve on that position during the games and bring home a medal. It was devastating for him to lose his first bout, only in the last few seconds, his five year journey to Tokyo all over in six minutes of fighting. He is the first Irish person to compete in this sport at the Olympics and he is the first openly gay Irish person to represent his country at the games, and we pat ourselves on the shoulder because we have come such a long way. We have, but starting from such a low point in 1993, the year that homosexuality was decriminalised, we have such a long way to go.

During the campaign for decriminalisation, David Norris, the only homosexual in the country at the time, was advised by RTE before an interview to not show his face and to disguise his voice; he had to explain to them that they might be missing the point. A couple of years ago the organisation that I was working for had drawn up an action plan to make Ireland ‘The Best Place to be LGBT+’, I had the opportunity to put a copy of this plan into the hands of a highly placed politician/legislator, a great advocate and supporter of equality and fairness, who had to eyeball me quizzically and say, referring to the marriage equality referendum, “I thought that was all sorted” – unfortunately no, just the tip of the iceberg.

Jack Wooley has gone out there on the big stage to represent us all, to show the world that unlike the insecure little place this country was thirty years ago, we are now determined to educate and inform ourselves, to shine a light into the shadows and proudly embrace all of our diverse people equally, but he is still on his own. Even going by the demeaningly conservative figure of 10 per cent, the Irish Olympic team made up of 116 athletes should, on average, contain 10 or 11 LGBTI+ people. Now, it’s not all just down to national bias, some of these sports at the highest echelons are fiercely controlled. According to Finnish swimmer Ari-Pekka Liukkonen, it is not tolerated in his sport, which does not mean that you can’t ‘be’ gay, it just means that you can’t be open or honest about a fundamental part of your identity, about who you are. Here we go again. And it is not about the individuals who make up the teams, it’s never about the individuals, it’s the institution, and standing up to the institution can be a very cold and lonely place to be. Jack is not saying; ‘Hey, I’m Irish and this is totally cool.’ No, he’s saying; ‘I’m Irish and I’m not afraid to take you on, because the bigotry of discrimination is not cool, and the environment and atmosphere in this country has changed enough that you can have your opinion and express it, and I’ll be fine over here with my friends, wondering what’s up with you?’

Nine years ago at London 2012, out of around 10,000 athletes there were 23 who were openly LGBTI+. Four years later in Rio the number had risen to 56, and this year in Tokyo, out of around 11,000, the figure could be 178, up from 168 last week, still a frighteningly small number of people out of a likely 1,100 who feel that their careers and futures will be detrimentally affected if they were to make their true identities known to the public. At the last count there were only two from Asia! It is an inherent duty of all privileged members of our species to challenge discrimination and inequality against another, of any kind. It is incumbent on us all to educate and inform ourselves to challenge the phobia that is woven into the order of our society by institutions that use fear and division to dominate us as their power base.

I would not attempt to name all of the LGBTI+ athletes of Ireland, as that would be unfair to any that I don’t know about, but I think special mention has to go to the wonderful and amazing Joy Neville from Limerick. As a player she captained the first Irish team to beat France in Rugby’s Six Nations, and was part of the team that won a Grand Slam in 2013. After a playing career she went on to referee, winning the accolade of World Rugby Referee in 2017. While she has refed professional games internationally she has not yet refed an International, between two nations. Earlier this year she became the first female television match official (TMO) in the men’s Six Nations Championship, three times, and in two of those games she had to draw the referee’s attention to try disallowing infringements, on the ball Joy. So I am going to take a punt that she has made sporting history again as the first TMO ever to take Maternity Leave, congratulations! And if I’m wrong I’ll stand you a coffee and a carrot cake at the market in Schull on Sunday. 

The ‘I’ in the LGBT QI+ abbreviations is one of the least talked about and least understood. 

In this month’s article, I will try to give a brief overview of what ‘intersex’ (or ‘variations of sex development’, as they are also often referred by) is, and hopefully further the understanding of this complex topic.

As stated in one of my earlier articles about definitions of the LGBTQI+ terminology, intersex is the only group within the LGBTQI+ spectrum, that is considered a ‘medical condition’ or where there is a physiological and biological causality. 

Generally speaking, Intersex is defined as a condition in which not all sex characteristics of a person align to one sex and gender. Some intersex conditions become apparent at birth (for example when a child is born with ambiguous genitalia), other intersex conditions don’t become apparent until puberty when the expected pubertal development either fails to set in or goes a different way than expected. 

To understand this better, it is helpful to quickly refresh our general understanding of sex development. 

Biologically speaking, our sex is defined on three different levels: Genetically through our chromosomes (XX for female and XY for male), through our gonads and their specific hormone production (ovaries in woman and testis in men) and through our external genitalia. So typically, a man has XY chromosomes, testis with high testosterone production and male external genitalia (penis and scrotum). A woman has XX chromosomes, ovaries with high oestrogen and progesterone production and female genitalia (vagina and clitoris). This development and differentiation takes place during the first few months of pregnancy. 

In intersex conditions, there are variations in this development, which can either take place on the chromosomal level, gonadal level, or genital level, which results in not all sex-defining characteristics to be aligned to one sex. What this means is that the term ‘Intersex’ doesn’t refer to one specific condition or identity, but is far a more umbrella term for many different possible conditions. 

One of the most common variations of sex development is a condition called ‘Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia’ or CAH for short. In these cases, a XX embryo is exposed to high levels of testosterone during pregnancy, which can lead to a masculinisation of the external genitals at birth (enlarged clitoris). 

Another common form is a condition called ‘Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome’ or CAIS for short. In these cases, a XY embryo develops gonads that produce testosterone, but due to insensitivity of the androgen receptors, the testosterone cannot be absorbed and come to effect in the body. As a result, the internal and external genitalia don’t develop typically male, but are female instead. At birth, these children are identified as female. However at time of puberty, menstruation doesn’t take place and this is often when the CAIS is discovered. 

There is also a ‘Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome’ or PAIS for short. In this case, there is also a XY embryo that develops gonads that produce testosterone. But here, only some of the androgen receptors are insensitive, but not all. This means that testosterone can partly be absorbed and come to effect, but not to its full capacity. This leads to an under-development of the internal and external genitalia and children with PAIS are born with ambiguous genitals. 

In another condition (5alpha reductase deficiency) children appear female at birth but will develop male at puberty. In these cases, the chromosomes in the embryo are XY and the internal genitalia develop male. Due to a deficiency in a hormone responsible for testosterone production, testosterone isn’t produced in utero, which results in the development of female external genitalia. However, at puberty testosterone production is not impaired, so a male development takes place then. 

Another (very rare) intersex condition is called ‘True Hermaphroditism’. In these conditions, the embryo has cells with XX chromosomes, as well as cells with XY chromosomes, which can result in the development of both ovaries and testis (or a fusion of both) and ambiguous genitals. 

As you can see, intersex is a very complex topic with lots of different outcomes and manifestations. Many people with intersex conditions identify as typical women or men. Most people with CAH for example identify as women and often don’t even want to be labelled as intersex. 

Most individuals with CAIS identify as women and except for being infertile, don’t see themselves any different to a woman with XX chromosomes. Other people however do identify as intersex and claim (and fight hard for the right) to not be defined as male or female, as it does not relate to their lived experience and reality of their bodies.

The biggest challenge and controversy in regard to intersex and variations of sex development is in regard to the medical treatment of these conditions. Until very recently, the medical understanding has been that any child born with ambiguous genitalia should undergo genital ‘reconstructing’ surgery. This means invasive surgery to a very sensitive area of the body at a very young age, often requiring multiple surgeries throughout childhood to accommodate the growing body. 

In recent years, this has been questioned more and more, especially from adult people with intersex conditions. Many have experienced the repeated surgeries on their genitals and hospital stays throughout childhood as traumatising. Many also argue that such surgeries should not be performed without the individual’s consent and that parents and doctors shouldn’t have the right to consent on this on their behalf. 

Another critical aspect of these surgeries is that, due to surgical limitations, genital reconstructive surgery of an ambiguous genitalia most often means creating a female genitalia (as it is easier to take something away rather than to create), independent of the underlying intersex condition. While for many people with CAH, for example, this feels like the right decision and is in line with their gender identity, many people with Intersex conditions feel that they have been ‘mutilated’ or ‘castrated’ and would have wished to have kept their genitals or at least have given a choice to have a say in their treatment. All which isn’t possible as an infant or young child. 

After working with many different people with variations of sex development and intersex conditions, and their families, I am a strong advocate of postponing any surgical interventions until at least adolescence so that the individual can decide themself if or what kind of medical interventions they would like, that might be most in accordance with their gender and sexual identity. Be that male, female, intersex, or anything else for that matter. 

What this requires though is emotional and psychological support for the young children and their families to embrace the uniqueness and variation of their child’s sex and gender rather than pathologising and shaming it. And it also requires society at large to be far more tolerant and accepting of different biological and physical realities. 

While we have come a long way in raising awareness and tolerance in regard to LGBT matters, we still have a fair bit of work cut out for ourselves when it comes to the ‘I’.