Claude Batle, an intersex Cameroonian, did not always identify as a male. He was raised as a female until his male characteristics emerged. “I realized I might not primarily be a woman when I experienced an erection while sleeping next to a girl,” Claude recounts. His first attempt at intimacy led to accusations of witchcraft and a violent attack, he says. This is because he looks like a man, yet he has a very visible breast.
Legally, Claude faced challenges; his birth certificate listed him as female, complicating the recognition of his paternity. He later obtained a new National Identity Card with his male identity to ensure his child’s birth certificate reflected the correct paternal information.
The psychological impact on Claude and his family has been profound. His children face bullying, and Claude fears medical emergencies that could lead to public humiliation.
Similarly, MJ, another intersex individual who asked that only initials of her names be used, faces mental strain and social stigma. Physically resembling a man, MJ’s functioning reproductive system is female, though he cannot conceive. “I’ve learned to ignore what people say and focus on my business. It is hard but I cannot help it,” MJ explains.
In order to raise awareness on the right societal behaviors to adopt when dealing with intersex people, an intersex-led Non-Governmental Organization, Intersex Nigeria, rallied a diverse group of professionals for a two-day workshop in Yaounde.
Aimed at fostering a safe and accepting environment for intersex persons, the workshop that spanned May 18-19 brought together health professionals, traditional practitioners, traditional rulers, and journalists.
“The workshop aims to create a society that promotes the visibility, inclusion, bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health, mental well-being, and human rights of intersex persons through community organizing, research, advocacy, and public engagement, using a feminist perspective,” said Oluwaseyi Balogun, a representative of Intersex Nigeria.
For two days, participants deliberated on the appropriate actions to support the intersex community and to highlight the harmful implications of intersex genital mutilation in children – a practice that continues to affect intersex people worldwide.
Intersex people face prejudice, discrimination
Intersex people are born with a range of sex characteristics, including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that do not fit typical male or female definitions, according to the UN Human Rights Office. Importantly, intersex individuals do not undergo artificial hormonal treatments.
Misunderstandings about chromosomes can lead to inappropriate gender assignments. For example, some intersex individuals may be genetically female but possess male genitalia due to surgical closure of the vagina, or vice versa. In some cases, both reproductive systems may be present, either functioning simultaneously or not at all. For such individuals, elective surgery is best postponed until adulthood, allowing them to make informed decisions.
According to the Open Society foundations, intersex people often experience prejudice and discrimination because their bodies do not conform to other people’s expectations about sex and gender. In some regions, those with visible intersex traits, such as ambiguous genitalia, are subject to abandonment and violence. Stigmatization often begins within the family before extending to the community, studies show.
Role models for intersex individuals are scarce and largely unknown especially in Cameroon. According to Georgetown Journal of International Affair, traditional gender ideologies in Cameroon limit women’s empowerment and do not account for intersex individuals, suggesting a lack of role models and visibility for intersex people in the country.
Due to a lack of understanding, intersex individuals are frequently misassociated with the LGBTQ+ community, which is frown upon in many African societies including Cameroon where the law prohibits consensual same-sex relations.
Yet, intersex individuals may just be born different, but are humans and deserve equal opportunities in life. It is time society practices kindness and remain open to the diverse expressions of humanity.
