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# Intersex Awareness Day: #IAD2020
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/intersex-awareness-day-iad2020/
- Published: 2020-10-26T20:20:09.000Z
- Updated: 2020-10-26T20:20:09.000Z
- Description: Monday October 26 is international Intersex Awareness Day; an event which shares the histories and experiences of the intersex community and promotes equality.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: News, Pride, Queer Corner, Glaad, Intersex, Intersex Rights, LGBTQ, Switchboard

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/iad-2020.jpg)

**Monday October 26** is international **Intersex Awareness Day**; an event which shares the histories and experiences of the intersex community and promotes equality. The [**Intersex Day Project**](https://intersexday.org/en/about/?ref=scenemag.co.uk) was established in 2015 by **Morgan Carpenter** with **Laura Inter**, but the first Intersex Awareness Day was created by **Betsy Driver** and **Emi Koyama** in 2003 to mark a 1996 **Intersex Society of North America** [protest](http://intersexday.org/en/max-beck-morgan-holmes-boston-1996/?ref=scenemag.co.uk). Driver said: *“We framed Intersex Awareness Day as a grassroots effort to raise awareness around intersex”* and wished to commemorate *“that small group of brave individuals in 1996 \[who\] opened many doors.”*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/interact-group-photo-jonathan-leggette-1.jpg)

Leggette is pictured on the far left

Intersex refers to those whose anatomy does not fall under typical definitions of ‘male’ or ‘female’. **Jonathan Leggette**, a representative of LGBTQ+ organisation **GLAAD**, [said](https://www.glaad.org/amp/we-need-talk-about-intersex-awareness-day-0?ref=scenemag.co.uk) there is a *“misconception that biological sex is binary \[which\] makes intersex people feel alone and unnecessarily ashamed of their bodies.”* They also highlighted there is a lack of intersex representation in the media, saying *“intersex people are often not represented or given equal access to resources”,* and pointed out the importance of ‘celebrating and recognising’ October 26.

Many are celebrating the day on social media including [**Amnesty UK Rainbow Network**](https://twitter.com/AmnestyUK%5FLGBTI/status/1320685438177193985?ref=scenemag.co.uk), who wished its followers a happy Intersex Awareness Day, and National LGBTQ+ helpline [**Switchboard**](https://twitter.com/switchboardLGBT/status/1320696762923966465?ref=scenemag.co.uk) who shared a message of solidarity with the intersex community. The **Brighton & Hove LGBTQ+ Workers Forum** also [tweeted](https://twitter.com/switchboardLGBT/status/1320696762923966465?ref=scenemag.co.uk) in honour of the day, saying ‘the bar for intersex inclusion needs to be raised’.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mirror_intersex_web-1.jpg)

Happy Intersex Awareness Day!