Born Both; An Intersex Life // LGBTQIA+ Book of the Month May
This month’s book pick is the stunning memoir; ‘Born Both; An Intersex Life’ by lifelong activist Hida Viloria. This account spans decades of Hida’s life and touches on the many ups and downs of being born intersex.
Hida uses they/them pronouns, and speaks on this complex gender identity which exists both alongside of, and independently of their intersex identity. They were also the second ever American recipient of an intersex birth certificate in the year of 2017.
Hida writes, “being intersex hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been my greatest teacher, and the lessons have been worth every tortured moment. Now, for me, being intersex is the fusion, the effortless union, of yin and yang. It is a space all it’s own, where something revolutionarily loving, balanced, and harmonious is created. It actually exists, and it’s where I live”.
As a quick warning, this book does contain a lot of discussion around non-consensual medical procedures, and this is a horrifying truth of being intersex that needs to be spoken about more. Hida speaks of the way the community deals with this as a collective and as individuals with emotional detail.
This critically acclaimed autobiography is a mid-length read and comes in a beautiful hard cover edition. And for those partial to listening to audio books, Hilda themselves narrate Born Both for your on-the-go literary needs!
I choose this for the monthly read because Hida discussing everything from gender, sexuality, body politics, intra-community politics, and much more.
Being 53 as well, I believe it is important to delve into the wisdom of those with decades of experience within marginalised communities. Give this one a read and you are sure to learn things you never knew – delivered honestly and with confidence.
