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American intersex rights activist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sean Saifa Wall is an African-American researcher, and long-time advocate for intersex rights.[1] He is a queer, transgender, and intersex man of color and former president of Interact Advocates for Intersex Youth.[2][3] He approaches his work to end intersex oppression through an intersectional lens.[4]
External videos | |
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" What It’s Like To Be Intersex", Lizz Warner, BuzzFeed |
Sean Saifa Wall | |
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Alma mater | Williams College |
Occupation(s) | Intersex activist and researcher |
Known for | Intersex and HIV advocacy |
Website | seansaifa |
Sean Saifa Wall has described growing up in the Bronx in the 1980s in a family with other intersex members. In an interview by Pidgeon Pagonis, he describes how an uncle of his was forced to sleep outside on the porch of his hospital after a surgery, and how his intersex and black identities are inseparable.[5] Drawing parallels, Wall has stated, "Although seemingly different subjects, they share the same common denominator, state-sponsored violence against marginalized individuals".[6] Diagnosed with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome, he was subjected to a gonadectomy at age 13, necessitating lifelong hormone replacement therapy.[6]
Wall volunteered for Gay Men's Health Crisis at age 14, prior to studying at Williams College. He later travelled to Cuba with Pastors for Peace, documenting the local health system.[7]
Wall served as president of Interact Advocates for Intersex Youth for three years.[7] During that time, Interact filed a lawsuit, M.C. v. Medical University of South Carolina, in the County of Richmond, South Carolina, in partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center.[8][9]
In 2015, Wall joined an international advisory board for a first philanthropic Intersex Human Rights Fund established by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.[10] He has also developed an art project entitled EMERGE.[7]
As part of his advocacy work, Wall has been interviewed by Nightline, in a segment where he also confronted his childhood surgeon,[11] BuzzFeed,[12][13] HuffPost Live,[14] and written for The Advocate[3] and Quartz.[15] Wall spoke at TEDxGrandRapids in May 2015.[16]
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