As part of Project Uplift (the refurbishment of the Rainbow Room) a documentary was produced by the Office of the Clerk/Parliamentary Service to tell the story of the room. The individual interviews were also published online under a Creative Commons licence CC-BY 4.0. A special thank you to the Office of the Clerk/Parliamentary Service for allowing Georgia's interview to be reproduced. The mp3 files on this page contain just the audio element of the video interview.
Summary
In a recording at the Rainbow Room, Parliament buildings in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, Georgia Andrews, the chairperson of Intersex Awareness New Zealand and project manager of intersex youth Aotearoa, shared a personal and wider community narrative regarding intersex people's battles with shame, secrecy, and acceptance. Andrews was diagnosed with an intersex variation at the age of 16 and struggled with the concealment advised by doctors, the wrongful assertion of uniqueness, and the fear of alienation and ostracism from one's community. Efforts to cope with this situation led Andrews to reach out to international intersex networks, and after years of searching, a connection was finally made with another intersex individual in Aotearoa through American contacts.
The talk reflected on the changes and constants over the decade from 2009 to 2019. One significant positive development was the explosion of online resources and visibility for intersex individuals, going from a few hits in a search query to over twenty thousand. However, Andrews highlighted that families are still counseled to maintain silence about intersex variations, even in current times, perpetuating stigma and isolation.
Andrews underscored the transformation that this journey sparked. Finding a global intersex community allowed Andrews to travel widely, forge close friendships on every continent, and eventually embrace a career supporting young people experiencing similar challenges. This position facilitated a shift from carrying anger to enabling empowerment and cultivating pride among youth in their intersex identity and as part of the broader LGBTQIA+ community.
Evidencing the evolution in societal attitudes towards gender diversity, Andrews described the representation of 'rainbow' identities within political spheres. The recording took place in the context of the ILGA World Conference, which showcased the New Zealand Parliament's commitment to LGBTQIA+ issues, including MPs who are openly part of the rainbow community. This example of progressive attitudes serves as an inspiration for youth to assume agency and assert themselves, highlighting a movement where the youth are passionately advocating for their rights and recognition.
The presentation in the Rainbow Room also sheds light on the role of political institutions as powerful platforms for change in attitudes towards intersex individuals and the broader LGBTQIA+ community. The recording illustrates New Zealand's position as a country that honors and celebrates its diverse spectrum of identities, promoting inclusivity and pushing for authentic representation within governmental structures.
In summary, Andrews' narrative from the presentation, captured in the archive, draws attention to the journey from isolation to community-building among intersex individuals, the struggles against societal pressures to remain hidden, and the ongoing efforts to foster acceptance, visibility, and advocacy. The recording serves as a testimony not only to the personal resolve and transformation of an individual but also to the broader community’s strides towards a more inclusive society.
This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.
Voices
Tags (computer generated)
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