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Orchids: My Intersex Adventure
This great documentary is now available on ABC iView until 12/ February (gee, wouldn’t it be great to be able to capture this and keep it available for continued viewing?). I think it gives a great insight into the lives of intersex people. In my view, intersex people share many issues that the trans community is faced with (and the burden is so much greater – if you’re interested, there is debate about the extent to which intersex equality is absent from the traditional LGBT alphabet soup).
One issue that was not mentioned much at all is the various degrees of Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome – from Complete (CAIS) to mild (MAIS) and partial (PAIS). There is so much to learn and yet there is so much that is still unknown. I suspect that AIS in some form or another (or is related to a similar genetic mutation of some sort – nature loves variety) is a significant factor in many trans cases, but the science is not developed enough to give us any further insight (but hey, that’s me).
I also think that this is a very good example of how positive media treatment of a subject can lay the path to understanding, acceptance and equality (well, to the extent that showing the program at 10:00 PM on a Sunday night can “educate”). May there be much more funding to create projects like this. Sure beats David Letterman and Jerry Springer.
What are the chances that Australian schools will be required to use this documentary in social studies curricula in the future?
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3 Replies
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The DVD can be ordered online from http://www.orchids-themovie.com/shop.html (off the main http://www.orchids-themovie.com/ website).
Buying the DVD helps Phoebe fund the travelling that she does to promote the movie and in doing so, she increases awareness of intersex to broader audiences, both within Australia and overseas.
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I received an email update from Phoebe;
Quote:We enjoyed a terrific response from audiences around Australia after the broadcast on ABC1 of Orchids: My Intersex Adventure on Sunday 29 January 2012.The social networking sites have been alive with great comments about the film, and there were great reviews in most Australian newspapers. To follow the fun, join us on FaceBook and Twitter.
You and your friends, family members and colleagues have two more weeks to catch up on this ‘must see’ documentary with ABC iView. To stream the film simply go to ABC iView and select Orchids: My Intersex Adventure.
I’m really positively inspired by how widely intersex is now being accepted.
Orchids is now due to be being screened in film festivals Canada, Tahiti and Cologne. Not bad for a low budget Australian doco. -
I thought that this doco was great, such courage from this girl and her sisters. Funny that the guilt from Mum was still there, I mean, our genetics are hardly our fault are they?
What I found fascinating is that Phoebe, on her own admission, is genetically a male and yet was allowed to marry. It is strange how the Law weaves such wavy lines in its blindness!I think that Trans folk, as a group,should continue to support each other , despite our differing personal identities . The struggles of intersex women such as Phoebe can only strengthen and encourage others to persist and fight for the rights to be ourselves. That is the point where we all meet.
