I even thought the condition was only a part of the fiction. While reading along the pages, midway, the hesitation to believe that the condition might exist in real-life was being gradually washed away. "This might not be just really fictional. Could it be that it also exists in our world? But why didn't I know anything about this before?"
© Mikiyo Tsuda, Shinshokan
Before, I never knew what "intersex" is. No one ever mentioned it to me nor I heard or seen it from somewhere. Living in a country where most of the schools are lacking in teaching sex education, of course there is just an ounce of possibility to learn about it. Or maybe not at all. I grew up in a family who loves to watch a lot of films and anticipate different genres. Hollywood didn't even introduce to me such a term (or perhaps I just don't watch too many Western works anymore). Those teenage years were still so ignorant but it's all thanks to The Day of Revolution/Kakumei no hi (革命の日), a 2-volume Japanese manga, filled with genres of school, comedy, drama, and romance, by author Mikiyo Tsuda, also the one who drew the famous BL manga—Love Stage!! (under the name Taishi Zaō). Her work delivered to me the exisence of intersexuality—along with how deeds of love could be when there is no discrimination, just passion and empathy. Dialogues in the manga are clear and I didn't find it misrepresenting. Yet I admit, the first time I read the plot it seemed so strange for me that it caught too much of my attention so I decided to give the title a try. I knew it wasn't the typical gender-bend story.
I even thought the condition was only a part of the fiction. While reading along the pages, midway, the hesitation to believe that the condition might exist in real-life was being gradually washed away. "This might not be just really fictional. Could it be that it also exists in our world? But why didn't I know anything about this before?"
Beware, spoilers ahead! In the story, the gutsy protagonist Yoshikawa Kei, in his early childhood, lived as a male. For some, he looked beautiful as a woman and seen with traditional masculinity as he is crazily strong in fights. At least that's what he knew—grown up with the physical looks of a male. One day, something happened which led to a confirmation with a doctor in his pubescent period the shocking fact that came unwelcomed to his life. The character discovered its intersex situation. All along, he has female chromosomes! What I also liked about the manga is that the doctor is not condescending and forceful about any surgery. He acknowledged the idea that the people who discover their intersexuality don't or shouldn't bother deciding on changing their preferred gender so it wasn't really necessary for Kei to change. © Mikiyo Tsuda, Shinshokan
After a longtime thought decision, the character decided to start afresh. The truth he lived before has been disregarded yet the new lifestyle has been difficult for him—from the issues of clothes to people's image of them. Given this situation, it means that Kei has been born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the boxes of "female" or "male". Thus, it's not binary. But with Makoto's help, a confidant, things were smoothed over.
The truth is, the case of intersexuality is rare.
Just like Kei, nonfictional intersex people experience great struggles on how they must introduce themselves. For intersexuals, instead of thinking more about themselves they get caught up in worrying about how others should understand them. In the story, the 'male changed to a female' character tried to hide that fact about themself. Lost in confusion, the male friends of Kei who were left without a word, wanted to know where Kei is. The bunch found out what they can have through careful investigation on the similarity of Kei and its false identity she put up with as soon as she restarted in school. Eventually, they knew about it yet they never doubted her. There was no contempt. Kei, vexed as she used to be a man and close comrades with them, never thought her cover to be blown up that quick. What also made me stay is because these men she frequently used to hang out with are now pursuing her as a love interest. Most importantly, they accepted her the way she is. But what will you do if you knew about your friends trying to win your love? Insane isn't it? For her case, she never intended to end up with someone she had been buddies with. Though it happens to some of us, at first you only think of someone as a friend but sometimes perspective-changing events show up. So along the way, for these guys love bloomed unexpectedly toward the beauty. In dilemma, she even developed fear of her own friends due to a traumatic incident. Makoto is a reliable gal friend everyone would want to have, it's also thanks to her that Kei learned more about femalehood and found someone special. Both of them totally relate to many same experiences, who could that be? The two volumes managed to show her peers' fearsome competitiveness against this newfound person for winning her heart. Hard as it may be, as long as love understands and trusts each other whatever struggle appears is just nothing. As for me, the exciting part is nearly at the end, filled with cuteness and extra heart-moving scenes, so you better read it if you're up for it.
On the other hand, the doctor of the story is not quite like the doctors in reality as they viciously intervene in intersex' lives. Do you know that in real-life, intersexuals are being forced to undergo a surgery just to fit in with the binary standards? And of course it goes with discrimination and abuses. It's the worst and inhumane. No one ever wants this but the society is still merely narrow-minded. Then there are groups or individuals who choose being uncommunicative and not being taught because of oppositions with primeval ideologies. Gender stereotypes and stigma are always in the way, and some twist information. It's like a lifetime hardship but it would be better if many communities start to be open and understanding about it. That is why sex education must be imposed on schools, sex education that is sufficient with all terms related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).
Some media are misleading. The majority—Intersex people are either represented in a wrong way or underrepresented. And remember, intersex are not hermaphrodites. They are totally different. So what must we call them if the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that intersex do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies? Of course we can't know at an instant if someone is an intersex so there might have been a possibility that we have called someone with a pronoun they don't prefer or uncomfortable with. Sometimes, it becomes problematic and frustrating when we initially assume things, so the most important thing to do is ASK. Ask them on what term they are comfortable to be called with. Don't spread false information. But if we cannot deliver our questions to the desired recipient, what must come first to your mind is to respectfully refer them with the pronouns "they" or them".
© Mikiyo Tsuda, Shinshokan
As carefully grasped, there's much more than what the story contained. Intersex people have different stories and frustrations after all. Intersex traits can be found out either at the time of the birth or later on—when in puberty. They come with ambiguous variations that most of us cannot understand in an instant if we are explained to what they are or what difference they have with their bodies' genitals, hormones, chromosomes, and gonads because we are way too exposed to gender norms or the usual standards. "Transgender has to deal with your gender identity, whereas intersex has to deal with your biological characteristics, " indicated by the As/Is by Buzzfeed.
With this, the world might seem becoming smaller to us but we still don't know everything. Don't overlook the importance of reading any reading material your hands can get on or you can eye on. I read the unexpected. I read what piqued my curiosity. Learn more through stories, it is never trivial nor ineffective. But also rely on accurate facts, search what you can search. Introduced by Intersex Asia, I recommend the following materials (click each):
Let people know facts about intersexuality when you can actually share. Anyhow, I highly suggest this manga The Day of Revolution to be read. Available on Amazon, Sukima (has free trial reading in Japanese), and Yahoo! JAPAN shopping (click each). Truly amusing, non-discriminatory, and educative! Please support. You may reach and learn more about the author Mikiyo Tsuda on this website and Intersex Asia on IG, Facebook, Twitter, and this website. What about you? Have you ever known about intersexuality?
That's all! Thank you very much for reading until the end! Looking forward to your generous readership for the next work ^^!
それで全部です！最後までお読みいただき、誠にありがとうございました！次のさくひんのために皆さんの寛大な読書を楽しみにしています^^！
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