Intersex Awareness Day
October 26 · Level 3 · #1608 of 2238
Intersex people are born with variations in sex characteristics that do not fit the typical definitions of male or female. This day gets people talking about their lives and about the right to make decisions about their own bodies.
How it is celebrated: communities hold talks, meetings and online campaigns, activists share personal stories, and doctors and teachers look for kind, accurate ways to discuss the subject.
The date goes back to 26 October 1996, when intersex activists held what is described as the first public demonstration of its kind in North America, outside a paediatricians' conference in Boston. The movement's flag, a yellow field with a purple circle, was chosen to steer clear of the usual gendered colours.