Running Head: ENGLISH
1
NAME DATE
Reflective Essay on ‘Intersexion: Boy or Girl?’
Summary
‘Intersexion: Boy or Girl?’ is a documentary produced by John Keir on intersex people
and what it means to be intersex. It gives insight into the lives of sixteen intersex individuals
from their birth, childhood up to adulthood. In a commentary-style narration, the film explores
different topics and how they relate to intersex people.
A close outlook into how society affects intersex lives is explored in the documentary. It
shows how to see these individuals struggle with bullying and abuse from strangers and even
their family members. These individuals are forced to live in secrecy and shame, never to reveal
their true identity.
The film addresses the belief systems concerning surgery, hormonal treatment, and the
realities of their outcome for intersex people. It sheds light on the truth concerning surgery and
hormonal treatment for intersex individuals by examining different cases of individuals who
underwent these sex-assignment treatments.
Another topic that is explored in the film is love between intersex individuals. The
documentary shows two paradigms of this topic in which some individuals struggle to find love
while others succeed in finding loving partners who accept them as they are.
As it approaches the end, the film stresses the need for change in society. It focuses its
final message on tolerance and acceptance of intersex people and reminds the audience that we
are all people who deserve equal rights and favorable treatment. It calls to the audience to spread
love to all people as we are all simply people.
, ENGLISH
2
Childhood is a stage of joy filled with love and affection. However, as I learned through the film,
this is not the case for some intersex children. The majority of the intersex individuals in the film
reported having experienced difficult childhood due to being different (Keir, 2019). Peter stated
that he had been bullied by his older brothers and other neighborhood children. As a child, Ellen,
a female-presenting boy, described the harassment she would receive as a child. In another
unsettling case, Manny, an intersex person, was sexually abused by predators who had targeted
and manipulated her into sexual abuse. These cases of harassment and abuse were very
saddening and undeserving.
I found it upsetting that intersex people had been forced into a life of shame and
discomfort. These individuals born different had been taught to despise their differences and hide
their true selves from society. In one such a case, an intersex individual, Bo, stated that after her
sex assignment from boy to girl, her family had to move to a different town and destroy all
evidence of her life as a boy (Keir, 2019). Michel and his family also had to move from his
hometown due to his sex reassignment. Others had been taught not to speak of their different
body parts and to avoid social situations that would have been exposed. I could not imagine the
sadness these people felt living in shame and secrecy of their own lives.
I admit that I previously thought that surgery and hormonal treatment were good options
for an intersex individual. The idea that one could easily be assigned a particular gender and
proceed with life as a male or female person seemed acceptable. However, after watching the
documentary, I realize how invasive the surgery is. According to the individuals in the
1
NAME DATE
Reflective Essay on ‘Intersexion: Boy or Girl?’
Summary
‘Intersexion: Boy or Girl?’ is a documentary produced by John Keir on intersex people
and what it means to be intersex. It gives insight into the lives of sixteen intersex individuals
from their birth, childhood up to adulthood. In a commentary-style narration, the film explores
different topics and how they relate to intersex people.
A close outlook into how society affects intersex lives is explored in the documentary. It
shows how to see these individuals struggle with bullying and abuse from strangers and even
their family members. These individuals are forced to live in secrecy and shame, never to reveal
their true identity.
The film addresses the belief systems concerning surgery, hormonal treatment, and the
realities of their outcome for intersex people. It sheds light on the truth concerning surgery and
hormonal treatment for intersex individuals by examining different cases of individuals who
underwent these sex-assignment treatments.
Another topic that is explored in the film is love between intersex individuals. The
documentary shows two paradigms of this topic in which some individuals struggle to find love
while others succeed in finding loving partners who accept them as they are.
As it approaches the end, the film stresses the need for change in society. It focuses its
final message on tolerance and acceptance of intersex people and reminds the audience that we
are all people who deserve equal rights and favorable treatment. It calls to the audience to spread
love to all people as we are all simply people.
, ENGLISH
2
Childhood is a stage of joy filled with love and affection. However, as I learned through the film,
this is not the case for some intersex children. The majority of the intersex individuals in the film
reported having experienced difficult childhood due to being different (Keir, 2019). Peter stated
that he had been bullied by his older brothers and other neighborhood children. As a child, Ellen,
a female-presenting boy, described the harassment she would receive as a child. In another
unsettling case, Manny, an intersex person, was sexually abused by predators who had targeted
and manipulated her into sexual abuse. These cases of harassment and abuse were very
saddening and undeserving.
I found it upsetting that intersex people had been forced into a life of shame and
discomfort. These individuals born different had been taught to despise their differences and hide
their true selves from society. In one such a case, an intersex individual, Bo, stated that after her
sex assignment from boy to girl, her family had to move to a different town and destroy all
evidence of her life as a boy (Keir, 2019). Michel and his family also had to move from his
hometown due to his sex reassignment. Others had been taught not to speak of their different
body parts and to avoid social situations that would have been exposed. I could not imagine the
sadness these people felt living in shame and secrecy of their own lives.
I admit that I previously thought that surgery and hormonal treatment were good options
for an intersex individual. The idea that one could easily be assigned a particular gender and
proceed with life as a male or female person seemed acceptable. However, after watching the
documentary, I realize how invasive the surgery is. According to the individuals in the
