The documentary includes the story of Wellington counsellor Mani Mitchell A Grant Lahood directed documentary which features the story of Mani Mitchell and looks at how intersex people navigate their way through life will screen on TV One in July. Intersexion points out the little known statistic that one in 2,000 babies is born with genitalia that is so ambiguous no-one can tell if the child is male or female. "I was shocked to discover just how common intersex conditions are in the world," Lahood says. "Yet it was something I, like a lot of people, assumed was incredibly rare." Intersexion follows the very stories of a variety of people who identify as neither male nor female, including Wellington's Mani Mitchell, who was christened as a boy but grew up as a girl, after surgery to feminise her body. Mitchell always felt different to her siblings, but it wasn't until she was in her 40s that she finally discovered her medical records and the truth about her intersex birth. "I hope this documentary will show everyone that the 'shame and secrecy' model hasn't worked - and that intersex children can grow up to make informed choices about their own bodies," Mitchell says. Intersexion will screen on Sunday 10th July, 10.40 pm and will be available at TVNZ On Demand.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 29th June 2011 - 2:24pm