Why Tell Our Own Stories?

THERE is no doubt about it – telling our own stories ourselves really does make a difference.

Every time we at OII Australia do so, our listeners’ jaws drop. Most of them have never heard of intersex, never knew we exist.

Then we tell them some of the facts of our lives. The scales fall off their eyes and ears.

When enough intersex people tell our stories to enough lawmakers and public servants, real and permanent change will result.

We will gain equality and human rights.

The doctors will stop cutting up intersex newborns.

But if we stay invisible and silent, nothing will ever change for the better.

We will remain a people without a voice, shadows without faces, the living ghosts of this world, vapours drifting upon the winds.

Please, think seriously about sharing the story of your life with us right now.

Telling Your Story without Revealing Your Identity

We understand your need to be anonymous. Until we gain equality and human rights, intersex people will remain endangered in this society.

There are so many ways of telling your own story in your own way while avoiding telling who you are.

Here are some.

Skype It

Use Skype on your computer? Got a headset for it, or a microphone and speakers?

Get us to call you Skype-to-Skype. We will record our conversation with you then change the audio so it doesn’t sound like you and you won’t be recognized.

Webcam It

Have you ever seen those YouTube videos where people talk to their webcams? You can do that too, but guess what? If you record it to video and send it to us on CD or DVD then we can apply filters and effects to make your face and voice unrecognizable.

Email It

Whoever writes these days? All of us, in short bursts.

Send us a series of emails telling your story. We will edit them together, changing names and details as needed.

Record It

Have an old cassette* recorder lying around? Pop in a tape, tell your story then post it to us. We’ll change your voice and bleep out names when necessary.

* A regular-sized cassette, not one from a little dictation recorder, sorry.

Tell It to Us Over a Coffee

If you live in Sydney, we can arrange to meet and we’ll bring our audio recorder with us.

Paint, Draw, Photograph or Video It

You don’t have to be a Spielberg, a Picasso or a David Bailey. Anyone can tell their own story in one or all of these ways.

Send your paintings, drawings, photographs or videos (on CD or DVD) and we’ll edit them together and make whatever changes will ensure your privacy.

Please Do It Now

Intersex people can’t remain ghosts forever. We know that real stories about real lives can deeply affect everyone and make big differences to how we are treated.

We can tell our stories ourselves without giving our identities away.

If you want to do so in any of the ways we’ve suggested above, please contact us through our Contact page and we’ll do it together.