Intersex People and the Physics of Judgment | Cecelia McDonald | TEDxBoulder

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  • Опубликовано: 20 окт 2016
  • What is intersex, is it the same as being transgender, and how are intersex people treated around the world? 1-2% of the population is intersex, but few can name a personal friend who is open about this identity.
    There is a tremendous amount of shame around being intersex, as shown by the very few intersex people who have "come out." The discussion on what it's like to be diagnosed, what it's like to date and tell people about being intersex, and some ways to own your medical care and make sure that you get the help you need is important. 1-2% of the US population is intersex, yet few can name a personal friend that is open about this identity. Cecelia is the CEO of Bird Meets Bee, helping people find egg donors, sperm donors, and surrogates. Entrepreneur, songwriter, and traveler. Intersex advocate.
    This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Комментарии • 170

  • @thebalance6869
    @thebalance6869 7 лет назад +216

    "We don't have to be caught up in the inbetween spaces of inches and pounds. We can remember that all of us, male, female, intersex, are not things to be fixed; we are people to be loved and if you believe that you're a person to be loved and treat yourself with kindness and patience you'll treat other people the same way..." What a beautiful statement!

    • @PriscillaTuft
      @PriscillaTuft 6 лет назад +3

      Erica right?! This was profound!

    • @SeriDA77
      @SeriDA77 5 лет назад +5

      Lost Rose beautifully said
      I am touched and also am a true hermaphrodite. 46xx,46xy brother and sister inside one body. I am literally both sexes not one born with ambiguous genitalia

    • @sking51
      @sking51 2 года назад

      Thank you

  • @jesserandall9549
    @jesserandall9549 5 лет назад +22

    “If you put shame in a petri dish, it needs three ingredients to grow exponentially: secrecy, silence, and judgment. If you put the same amount of shame in the petri dish and douse it with empathy, it can’t survive.” - Brene Brown

  • @Theunion802
    @Theunion802 5 лет назад +65

    A simple genetic variation produced by nature. We need to stop the hate.

  • @mmmarvel
    @mmmarvel 7 лет назад +134

    Loved her line - "and my sex life is, none of your business". Oh my gosh, how refreshing in this age where there appears to be this 'need' to tell all to all. My mantra is - its your business, not mine, I MUCH rather not know.

    • @jonathananderinholmes8318
      @jonathananderinholmes8318 3 года назад +3

      please put this on a plane that carried those huge banners we an read from the ground. this is perfect. what in the world ever happend to "MYOB"??? its not that we shouldnt confide to each other, its that maybe we shouldnt be 24/7 blasting our every.little.thing. to everyone as if its relevant life news.

    • @NoxBVansyn
      @NoxBVansyn 4 месяца назад

      I wish more people had this mantra.

  • @SeriDA77
    @SeriDA77 5 лет назад +71

    I am twins combined 46XX,46XY. I agree it is hard to find others like myself. My gender is neither female or male. I’m twins stuffed into one body.
    All of my life I felt alone because I had no one to turn to for advice.
    Thank you for this post ❤️

    • @cammieOsaurus
      @cammieOsaurus 5 лет назад +9

      I had no idea that a chimera could combine from non-identical or even different sexes!

    • @SeriDA77
      @SeriDA77 5 лет назад +25

      Cam Hos
      Yes I have two different DNAs and blood types. I can’t donate blood since they describe it as bad blood O negative and A positive.
      I look female but contain both female and male gonadal tissue ovestestis. I absorbed my brothers fertilized egg while inside the womb.

    • @dickiewongtk
      @dickiewongtk 5 лет назад +4

      Wow! That's fascinating! Turely unique.

    • @asls3415
      @asls3415 5 лет назад +8

      I don't understand at all but hope your community will continue to connect. Everyone needs someone to relate to

    • @AZ-ty7ub
      @AZ-ty7ub 5 лет назад +12

      I am the same! I am a chimeric intersex person whose gender is neither male or female. You're not the only one!

  • @mishakailana
    @mishakailana 7 лет назад +46

    thank you for sharing Cecelia, each intersex voice sharing helps the world learn.

  • @Middlesex1957
    @Middlesex1957 6 лет назад +75

    Also intersex - you do a wonderful job of representing us!

    • @vasjakej8696
      @vasjakej8696 3 года назад +2

      Hey I saw u in some other documentary I am exploring this - wow no one learned me in school or anywhere. Thanks God for internet.

  • @unknownx7252
    @unknownx7252 7 лет назад +37

    I am not intersex but thank you for sharing hope the world will continue to grow in love and acceptance of all.

  • @hannahmich7342
    @hannahmich7342 7 лет назад +83

    I happen to also be be intersex. In my case my male body failed to fully develop as such and in was born with ovarian tissue and testicular tissue. As a result I had many surgeries and even ovarian type cancer. I went on to get married and even fathered two children after much difficulty and a protracted period of time.
    Now my remaining testis is dying off and failing to produce any testosterone. Ironically my estrogen levels are high and growing higher leading to the doctors speculating that this testis also is comprised of ovarian tissue. My breast are growing too. A dear friend of mine is transgender and is on a regiment of T blockers and estrogen and yet her testosterone levels are far higher than mine are. My spouse and I had a wonderful laugh at this.
    The bottom line is this is who I am, this isn't something we asked for. This is just the way it is, I was born this way. This coming fall my remaining testis will be removed to prevent another case of ovarian cancer.
    In its place I will need to take some replacement hormones in order to keep my body healthy. Once before I did try to take testosterone supplements and at even a low dose it drove me crazy. My body just couldn't handle testosterone. That is why I'll be taking a low dose of estrogen. If this makes me feel better I will take to the next level and increase the dose in small stages.
    My doctor has suggested that I do have a form of AIS , I really don't know. There is such a controversy as to the exact nature of how I came to be this way.

    • @hannahmich7342
      @hannahmich7342 7 лет назад +12

      Rudy King I agree! It was my doctor who speculated that I have PAIS. I knew from my cancer treatments that the ovarian tissue came from the undeveloped testis or so,etching along the lines of ovarian tissue. In as much as most of my germ cell teratoma developed along the right side of the midline, hence the side where the testis never developed at all.

    • @SeriDA77
      @SeriDA77 5 лет назад +12

      Hannah mich I have ovotestes. I was born with both sexes. I was normalized to only female at 1 day old. I’m a true hermaphrodite. 46xx,46xy

    • @Sweetdification
      @Sweetdification 3 года назад +1

      @@SeriDA77 Wow that is incredible?!

    • @IkeAmadiTV
      @IkeAmadiTV 3 года назад

      @@SeriDA77 but you feel like a woman, right?

  • @sauravlilke5015
    @sauravlilke5015 6 лет назад +104

    Let's support the intersex community just like we support LGBT.............As she said they are not meant to be fixed but we can just accept and love them as they are.......God bless all the intersex people

  • @yellowriverbyipdaily
    @yellowriverbyipdaily 5 лет назад +13

    "We are people to be loved" - You've found the answer to life

  • @jossiechavez7594
    @jossiechavez7594 6 лет назад +24

    It is mind blowing that even with the Internet today, people still shame others just because one is different. Most people think the rainbow fights to impose on others, but we fight to expose the injustices and inequality different people face. Thanks for being visible.

  • @deborahbrown5840
    @deborahbrown5840 5 лет назад +6

    Thank you for having the courage to share your story and increase people’s awareness. You presentation was top drawer!

  • @honeyschnookums
    @honeyschnookums 7 лет назад +33

    Amazing! I never knew about intersex issues until recently! very beautiful video! I totally agree! I hope awareness about this subject increases! People are beautiful and need to be loved not "fixed" ❤

    • @unknownx7252
      @unknownx7252 7 лет назад +3

      Josh Jacobs I use to think it was s myth.

  • @rustierothstein1914
    @rustierothstein1914 5 лет назад +2

    Brilliant! Right to the point. Thank you so much for being willing to speak about this.

  • @ND559
    @ND559 4 года назад +3

    What a touching talk! I will incorporate your talk to the psychology class I am teaching.

  • @meagain2222
    @meagain2222 6 лет назад +16

    Someone needs to fixed alright and that is the doctors.Blessing to all intersex people.
    They are people.

  • @adelapoulsen210
    @adelapoulsen210 4 года назад +3

    Thank you for standing up and speaking on our behalf

  • @mythornshaveroses6472
    @mythornshaveroses6472 3 года назад +1

    There single greatest thing, a person can do, is share their knowledge and experiences with the hopes that others may benefit from that. Thank you for sharing yours.

  • @donaldhlebert55
    @donaldhlebert55 5 лет назад +3

    I listened to your lecture and I think I am in Love with you and I haven't even met you. Actually I Loved the way you presented yourself, the way you stood up with a Love of yourself to be counted as just another Human Being to be Loved. As someone I know I would want to get to know, just by the way you carried yourself and the way you are. We are all unique people who need to be Loved, Encouraged, Supported as we go along our own individual journeys. Anyway keep being you, You are a person to be treasured.

  • @peaceandparty
    @peaceandparty 7 лет назад +19

    Excellent talk, ted chose well with you, thaanks for speaking for us intersex!

  • @lesleyfisher4812
    @lesleyfisher4812 7 лет назад +8

    i have a full understanding -great speech

  • @anniebird248
    @anniebird248 6 лет назад +5

    Such an important talk.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

  • @TheTeflonTranny
    @TheTeflonTranny 3 года назад +4

    I'm intersex too. I have a feminised body but male genitalia. I'm now finally getting HRT at 45 to bring everything in line. Exciting times for me.

    • @atlantic_love
      @atlantic_love Год назад +1

      That would make you trans. Which is a beautiful thing. I'm 50 and have been on HRT for 5 minutes now, and have never regretted it.

  • @alexandraartuso8431
    @alexandraartuso8431 2 года назад +1

    Wow. This was so touching and informative. Thank you!

  • @lisabrockway7836
    @lisabrockway7836 4 года назад +6

    42 years old and I didn't know there was a title for me. Also didn't know that there are so many people like me. As prevalent as redheads. So true that they never counsel or educate you about it. Interesting. Thank you.

  • @im19ice3
    @im19ice3 3 года назад

    i loved the examples of what the percentage means in 5:55

  • @zusanneahlin3046
    @zusanneahlin3046 9 месяцев назад

    👏👏👏👏👏Thank you it was so informativ amd very inportant .Love to you❤

  • @clseairsppt
    @clseairsppt 5 лет назад +2

    Well put my dear. Well put!

  • @donovanbowley1102
    @donovanbowley1102 4 года назад +2

    Thank you!

  • @arlinegeorge6967
    @arlinegeorge6967 3 года назад +1

    Beautiful impressive amazing courageous soul. Great great talk. Inspiring. Thank you, bless you. All your dreams come true.

  • @beag4961
    @beag4961 8 месяцев назад

    Thank you Cecelia.

  • @claudiacristerna1538
    @claudiacristerna1538 2 года назад

    One of the best Ted talks I've seen

  • @malek3719
    @malek3719 5 лет назад +10

    I expected to grow up as a boy as I was always being told, then I reached teenage hood and nothing happened
    Then suddenly my hips started growing and I developed a figure, (was quite socially embarrassing at the time)

  • @SusannaSaunders
    @SusannaSaunders 5 лет назад +1

    Well Said! Thank You!😘

  • @threecatsteve
    @threecatsteve 5 лет назад +4

    A very good speech by a brave lady, God Bless.

  • @ruthebole1657
    @ruthebole1657 4 года назад +2

    I'm really touched 😢 by your words, I'm an intersex too .. went for an operation at the age of 16yrs . I dint have a choice. My parents choose go me who to be but I'm now 36yrs old mentally disturbed 😐 , I'm not in my body .. its so isolating. . My infatility has challenged my identity . Im living a strange life . . Its a wound that gets better but will never heal ...

    • @Sweetdification
      @Sweetdification 3 года назад

      Sorry to hear this Ruth we know the pain and struggles most don't know MANY are the Afflictions of the righteous persons but Adonai the Lord promises to deliver us from them?!

  • @lillyodendahl6392
    @lillyodendahl6392 6 лет назад +4

    I almost cried when she started crying.

  • @JohnSmith-pd2dq
    @JohnSmith-pd2dq Год назад

    Super talk .... you have my heart felt sympathy for the rest of time ...

  • @katemantis
    @katemantis 7 лет назад +4

    Shared!

  • @PriscillaTuft
    @PriscillaTuft 6 лет назад +2

    Tears and so much love to you!

  • @AvishayHaviv
    @AvishayHaviv 6 лет назад +3

    Beautiful and moving.... :'''''''

  • @daretkneeland5400
    @daretkneeland5400 5 лет назад +2

    Love, sent to you, Cecilia McDonald .

  • @lagaman11
    @lagaman11 5 лет назад +1

    That was awesome. She is awesome!

  • @anniebird248
    @anniebird248 7 лет назад +4

    Beautiful, beautiful.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

  • @jonsmith9379
    @jonsmith9379 6 лет назад +5

    Great and necessary

  • @rushdialrashed9627
    @rushdialrashed9627 6 лет назад +5

    Lovely.

  • @dbronx347
    @dbronx347 3 месяца назад

    How can something like this be such a secret? I'm 55 and never heard of intersex till just a few days ago, coming across a similar video. Thanks for the talk Cecilia.

  • @Swimdeep
    @Swimdeep 5 лет назад +15

    Brilliant, poignant talk. Thank you. Gender exists on a spectrum. Period.

  • @dominiquelaurafreire6672
    @dominiquelaurafreire6672 3 года назад

    Brilliant

  • @DaRyteJuan
    @DaRyteJuan 4 месяца назад +1

    _At the subatomic realm, all human beings are actually clouds. Now let me ask you, “Have you ever heard of such a thing as an imperfect cloud?”_
    ~ Alan Watts

  • @ugotit33x
    @ugotit33x 4 года назад +3

    Fantastic good for you WAKE UP WORLD

  • @lilithamethystius5289
    @lilithamethystius5289 6 лет назад +1

    @Jennifer Piacentini nope...

  • @Red-sh8wl
    @Red-sh8wl 6 лет назад +2

    i love you Cecelia

  • @trealexander797
    @trealexander797 Год назад +1

    I can't do this alone anymore. I need help. I need to see a counselor for the same thing and I don't know where to go. I'm so positive for everyone else but I cry a lot more lately at night by myself. Unlike others who are ok being this way...I'm not. I want to be normal.

    • @davehaggerty3405
      @davehaggerty3405 4 месяца назад +1

      You are normal. You aspire to be average.

  • @tovarysh
    @tovarysh 5 лет назад +7

    It's not about Intersex people as I expected, it's just her own story. It was quite interesting and all but you should've call it other name.
    Anyway, sharing this story helps people to understand what is intersex a little bit better.

  • @gentelbenn62
    @gentelbenn62 6 лет назад +18

    If is not broke, don't fix it!

  • @aktr9955
    @aktr9955 4 года назад +2

    Wonderful speech !! Thanks for explaining what is going on.. we need to keep our mind open and stop thinking 'binary'

  • @cindyhalpern3187
    @cindyhalpern3187 11 месяцев назад

    I welcome your feelings, but not everyone shares them. Some want to look normal. Others don't care.
    There is a whole range of feelings. Accept everyone thinks differently!

  • @freak1021
    @freak1021 7 лет назад +2

    i ve heard that some say that pcosv is Intersex but i don t know if it s true or not is it

  • @LeiaMisocky
    @LeiaMisocky 8 месяцев назад

    ❤❤❤

  • @rudraom9
    @rudraom9 5 лет назад +2

    Welcome dear

  • @carolineninowoods4082
    @carolineninowoods4082 6 лет назад +6

    Bravo! Finally some explanation of what is going on. Still made in the beautiful IMAGE OF AMIGHTY GOD!
    💞💚💞💚💞
    2018🇺🇸💓

  • @bakekay21
    @bakekay21 3 года назад

    "We don't have to get caught up in the in-between spaces." -Cecelia McDonald

  • @victoriasweetwater4716
    @victoriasweetwater4716 Год назад +3

    Thank you. I hope that people will open there mine and to help them self to understand . I'm a intersex women I was born in 1951. That at time the D.r's did not
    no how to help them self instead they probably be GOD to make you a boy or a girl that is sad. Thay try to make me in to a boy it dld not work I'm happy that I'm who I am a woman ♀️ think you for what you have said for the intersex.

  • @trealexander797
    @trealexander797 Год назад +2

    I do hope that The Heavenly Father will use me to help kids identify their identity in HIM and that we would see signs, miracles and wonders of us becoming whole so we can glorify King Jesus.

  • @davidmicheletti6292
    @davidmicheletti6292 11 месяцев назад

    You have AIS androgen insensitive syndrome . I have a intersex related to germ cell fetal development.
    Sadly I did develop ovarian type cancer even though my DNA is XY male. Phyciologically I see myself as female.
    As a child I did have surgery as a child and really don't know what was done. In all ive had seven surgeries.

  • @gouledmoussadaher4446
    @gouledmoussadaher4446 4 года назад +1

    Thanks, me too I am intersexe

  • @malek3719
    @malek3719 5 лет назад +3

    I notice this is such a forbidden topic cause a 15 mil subscribers channel only has 35 k views

  • @marilynadams349
    @marilynadams349 Год назад +1

    Re teach the Dr’s we have now .

  • @sistarhymz5051
    @sistarhymz5051 4 года назад +3

    NEVER FIX WHAT GOD CREATED!

  • @heatherluna5075
    @heatherluna5075 4 года назад +1

    💜💚❤💙💛🧡

  • @sistarhymz5051
    @sistarhymz5051 4 года назад +2

    GOD IS INTERSEX TOO

  • @marilynadams349
    @marilynadams349 Год назад

    Do not add medication and surgery to early

  • @enoughisenough4600
    @enoughisenough4600 3 года назад

    ❤️❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

  • @alfredoangulo7037
    @alfredoangulo7037 3 года назад +1

    NomAs vine por la tarea nmms

  • @ronboyd9
    @ronboyd9 4 года назад +1

    Martin Luther King, Jr. " I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin [nor the size of their penises], but by the content of their character."

  • @williameddy9919
    @williameddy9919 Год назад

    Jesus loves you unconditionally. I feel bad on how you felt different and ashamed of yourself growing up. No one should be treated as a misfit. There is no such thing as normal because we are all different and everyone has something about them that they don't want others to know about. I lived with Generalized Anxiety Disorder along with OCD. I suffer from existential thoughts along with derealization. I'm taking Clonazepam for anxiety and Clominaprene for obsessive thoughts. We all suffer from something we don't want other people to know. Just remember that you are not alone and that there are others and that God loves you unconditionally.

  • @riccardofranco264
    @riccardofranco264 2 месяца назад +1

    I m a xxy

  • @frankcapozzi6981
    @frankcapozzi6981 6 месяцев назад

    I love intersex women.. I am trying to find one for long term relationship and love everyday

  • @ellalanier1251
    @ellalanier1251 Год назад +3

    STOP cutting on babies, children, teenagers adults for no good reason!

    • @NoxBVansyn
      @NoxBVansyn 4 месяца назад

      Tell that to medical practitioners, not a RUclips comment section.

  • @terriniemeier6578
    @terriniemeier6578 3 года назад

    They lied they cut out what they can't understand, I highly doubt they could be cancerous. We are a superior race of people. We don't tend to brag. We're here you would of noticed by higher intelligence. More empathy, yet a much stronger attitude over Narricist.

  • @namjah
    @namjah 5 лет назад

    the sound is terribly mixed........... tsssstsss

  • @dorelmutica2360
    @dorelmutica2360 2 года назад

    Sintem diferiți gen eu disforie gen naștere xy 46 bisex heterosex yntersex nu practic nu discriminez accept femeie indiferent orientare activ pasiv fac demers medical okey asta e gena mea nu suport singurătatea?!

  • @marilynadams349
    @marilynadams349 Год назад

    Now if urine leaks and feces leak minor ways fix that without destroy the genitalia . These micro surgeries done so very carefully . Train more doctors

  • @wulfmountainpath3719
    @wulfmountainpath3719 3 года назад +2

    Our medical system is far harder to deal with, more corrupt than imaginable. If you have $ insurance, then you have as many operable conditions as insurance covers. Just my experience.

  • @ALBERTEINSTEIN777
    @ALBERTEINSTEIN777 5 лет назад +3

    SO I WONDER NOW HOW MANY WOMEN I'VE BEEN WITH THAT WERE CHROME XY INSIDE. THIS IS SO WEIRD.

  • @davehaggerty3405
    @davehaggerty3405 4 месяца назад

    I have not seen a “there ought to be a law” comment.
    Thankfully!
    But this is Ted Talks.
    Not some frenzied MAGA posting on how we gotta do something!
    We are just cracking the code on genetics.
    Unnecessary laws would block progress.

  • @salvolondon
    @salvolondon 6 лет назад +18

    Egg donor ? Does she knows what the business of egg donation do to young women ? There are women who have died or who have had several medical problems associated with the hormones to stimulate multiple ovulation . Girls have died of strokes , some girls have became strike themselves . Some have gone through early menopause . Plus a child is not a right. A child is a person . And nobody should be put in this world knowing that he or she will never meet his or her biological parents . Instead of the egg donor look into adoption . There are so many children who need a family in this world . And remember, a child is not right . And egg donation business only hurts girls and women .

    • @dallaswalker340
      @dallaswalker340 3 года назад +3

      um... she never said she was going to, only that she could...

  • @trippplefive
    @trippplefive 5 лет назад +3

    but Steven Crowder, one of our generation's revolutionary philosophers, told me there are only two genders.

    • @chelleroberson3222
      @chelleroberson3222 5 лет назад +11

      trippplefive two genders ? That is not what intersex is about . we have bodies that are neither and both at the same time

    • @garrusn7702
      @garrusn7702 4 года назад +2

      Being intersex isn’t directly about gender.

  • @vivalospepes1402
    @vivalospepes1402 6 лет назад +1

    Stop we are NOT ftom stars!!

  • @mjulrichulrich704
    @mjulrichulrich704 3 года назад +1

    Still comes down to male and female

  • @WaterMan-ss6eb
    @WaterMan-ss6eb 4 года назад +1

    You are a genetic male. You had ambitious genitals as a child and were raised female. So now you identify as that. But in the end you are a genetic male...xy

    • @garrusn7702
      @garrusn7702 4 года назад +7

      the dude No, her genitals weren’t ambiguous. She has female genitals.

    • @NoxBVansyn
      @NoxBVansyn 4 месяца назад

      You are incorrect.

    • @SDRicky
      @SDRicky 4 месяца назад

      True , even having 1 y chromosome =genetic male , intersex can have xxy , x0 , xxxy ,xyy , xy any chromosomal order having y is genetically male. Only xx, xxx and x0 are genetic female.

    • @SDRicky
      @SDRicky 4 месяца назад

      ​@@garrusn7702that's because of higher count in x chromosome, xxy or xxxy are biological male but with complete woman body and genitals.

  • @richardguerrero3315
    @richardguerrero3315 10 месяцев назад

    Truly an inspectional speech, the proportion of love is always the best policy.