I have been a nurse for 30+ years. One night, as a young nurse, I was called to a patient's room to insert a Foley catheter. This particular patient was not my assigned patient, but as I had quickly gained a reputation as the go-to nurse for straight caths and IVs, (when other nurses had been unable to successfully insert these), I was asked to try and get it started. I had read the patient's diagnosis sheet in her chart prior to entering her room, as per protocol, so I knew what to expect. I introduced myself to the patient - an older woman, very put together and sophisticated, with a bright smile - and she immediately apologized, saying that she, "wasn't normal down there." Long story short, I got the catheter inserted. The patient was so kind but acted ashamed. She told me in her time it was "disgraceful" to be "what she was." It broke my heart. I've never forgotten it. I patted her hand in reassurance and told her she need not apologize for anything. Poor woman, imagine how she probably felt her whole life, especially in the time she grew up in. She had been born in 1915. I still think about her all these years later. Thank you for this video. Tears welled up in my eyes watching it. ❤

These intersex people cannot help what happened in the womb during their development. All  choices were out of their hands. Anybody who mistreats them because of something nature did to them during their development  in the womb is an absolutely awful horrible person. We may not understand it but to mistreat someone because of something they had no choice over is just brutal.

Poor thing left a note saying "everyone has ostracized and abandoned me," then has people wondering why they were driven to taking their own life. People, man. 🤦‍♀️

So much for doctor-patient confidentiality. The only thing monstrous about her condition was how society treated her. 🤬😞

As a person born with the condition the hate is real. Im a male, ive experienced the hate first hand, even to the point people whent so far as to have me set up and tried to have me    killed . I'm actually a very loving and understanding man   , and just like any other man except I am physically a little different. I am happy being a man.I wouldn't wish this condition on anyone.  Much love ❤️ 🙏  to anyone suffering with this condition

How tragic. Despite her becoming a teacher and serving society, she was vilified.

She seemed like such an intelligent and kind hearted person. This story was heartbreaking. Rest in peace angel. 🤍

Thank you for this video. I had a high school friend (in the 1990s) who was intersex and even then it was still a misunderstood thing. Her parents were told by doctors (in the late 70s) that they HAD to choose one or the other, so thus began dozens of operations. By the time she was 17, she had endured over 26 surgeries, was 6 feet tall, had little breast development, but soft features and a feminine voice. She also had a colostomy bag because of the mess all the surgeries had made of her insides. When she turned 18 she REFUSED to have any more surgeries to "make her more female". I don't blame her. Unless there are actual, legitimate health concerns, leave them alone. They can choose to have surgeries in their own time, if they want to.

It's heartbreaking that she was treated so callously when she did nothing wrong.

This is the kind of story that makes me want to go back in time just to be someone's friend 😢

I have a happy story! In the 80s i met a guy who's parents had "run away" to Portugal when he was very young, as the British Social Workers were after them.. Turned out he had been born hermaphroditic, and the hospital had decided he should be female (this was in the 60s). Luckily for him they were both proper hippies, living in a commune in Wales. Someone knew of an off grid commune in Portugal who would take them in so thats what happens.. So he grows up a bit wild, but he could read and write fine, a real bilingual bookworm in fact.
According to him, he felt neither male nor female growing up; he feels very lucky that nobody pressured him either way.
Puberty arrives and he, quite naturally seems to have developed as a male. He still has the option of surgery i think, but seems to be unbothered by it - and i didnt want to pry further.. Hes now a happy well adjusted married man - but we did discuss how very different his life might have been with more "conventional" parents who went along with the authorities of the time.. his folks are still on the commune, dude has a successful business and he idolises his olds!

Growing up in the early 80's, I went to jr. high school with a boy that one day developed severe abdominal pain in class. He was sent home, came back about a week later, and the same thing happened about six weeks later. He was doubled over in pain in class and went home. This time, he never came back to school. His family actually moved after the doctors did an ultrasound and found a fully developed uterus and ovaries inside this person who anatomically appeared male. She had gotten her period, but there was no opening for the  blood to escape her body. My parents told me years later that the doctors had told the family it would be best for them to perform surgery, removing all of the external male parts, creating a vagina, etc.. and starting over raising this thirteen year old as a girl instead of a boy in a different city and a different school system. I've often wondered what happened to her and felt bad for how traumatic and confusing it all must have been for her.

This is so heartbreaking. To be called "Freak" and "Monstrous" in the public press is truly monstrous. RIP Barbin ❤

My step grandfather born 1907 Married and divorced from his first wife no children (married to my father's mother) 1954 no children and as the family said "a marriage of convenience". My biological grandfather died in 1947, So he was, for me, the only one I have ever known (I was born in 1959) was for me a loving and caring and a completely unique person who taught me culture, history, music and decency, was definitely a hermaphrodite . It was never discussed or told in the family, I see it now quite clearly with all the comments here that I have read through. With all the pain and frustration he must have suffered makes me honor and love him even more.  Thanks for that, good luck on your way forward to all who have suffered because of society's mistreatment. We are all equal before God❤

I'll never understand how anyone can bully, mistreat a person born different. Did they have any control of their development inside the womb? People can be so cruel and really dumb.

Thank you for telling her story. I can only imagine the emotional pain that this woman had to suffer day after day, especially back in those days. The hurtful remarks, and the disgusted looks from people around her, and having to quit her job as a teacher, the poor thing was doomed from the start.

The body knows what is is. Let it develop into what it will be. Humans will always vary.  It is not "wrong".

I spoke to a person that has that. We talked for quite awhile. I didn't have the maturity or the empathy to get involved with him. I've since realized that I should have had an open mind regarding this. May God forgive me and bless that person. I never met him but I hope he found love

No one should ever have to be ashamed of physical circumstances over which they have no control.  

Shame should be reserved for those who mistreat and isolate other human beings for the crime of being different.

My mother who is 91 was just telling me the other day about a hermaphrodite girl that went to her high school that was terrible bullied in school and after graduation, the girl's parents had followed do tors advice and she'd had surgery to be able to be presented and raised as female. I explained to my mother how these days I think most parents let their children remain as they are born and then if they wish to select a gender or have surgery they can. I think that makes much more sense, letting people be who they feel they are. I feel really sad for the intersexed person that went to my mom's school, terrible that she was bullied and treated terribly.