Latest News

TLC's "Strange Sex: Gender Issues"

2011-05-22T20:29:56Z

If you would like to get a glimpse into the life of Jeanne Nollman, who was born Swyer Syndrome, please check out this video clip.

Alliance for DSD Family and Peer Support

2011-05-22T15:38:19Z

This new group provides information, contact and support to parents, children and young adults affected by disorders of sex development (DSD), including conditions sometimes previously referred to as “intersex.” Hosted at Seattle Children’s Hospital, this group meets on the first Sunday of each month from 3 to 5 p.m. Parents wanting to take part in a vibrant and supportive online community regardless of their child’s specific diagnosis or whether their child is being raised as a boy or raised as a girl can visit the Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome Support Group.

Call Jane Goto, community liaison, at 206-271-1513, or email her to register or for more information.

UCSF's Support Group for Parents of Intersex Kids

2011-05-11T01:14:19Z

Our current President Jeanne Nollman was featured in this San Francisco Chronicle article discussing the San Francisco Bay area's first DSD parent support group.

Click here to read more.

2011 Annual Conference of the AIS-DSD Support Group: July 7-10

2011-05-01T14:53:58Z

2011 Annual Conference

Every summer, the AIS-DSD Support Group hosts a conference in a different North American city. It brings together women and children affected by DSDs and their spouses, partners and families for an unforgettable few days of support, education, and fun.

The 2011 conference will be held July 7-10 in Seattle, Washington. If you are not currently a member of the AIS-DSD Support Group or email circle, please contact us to learn more about how you can attend.

You can also get a brief look at this year's agenda: Download in PDF or Word format.

The conference fee is $250 per person. This includes meals on Friday and Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday.

Jane Goto, Conference HostThere will be three days of programming designed specifically for affected adults, young adults, teens, parents and partners. Hotel accommodations are also available separately at a great rate of $99 per room/per night. This rate expires June 13, so make your reservations soon!

Our members get access to all the other specific details here: Members-only link (password protected).

July 10: Continuing Medical Education (CME) program

In cooperation with Seattle Children’s Hospital, an accredited Continuing Medical Education (CME) program for physicians and other medical professionals also takes place on Sunday, July 10. There is a separate charge for attendance at the CME. Pre-registration is required. If you did not recieve conference details by post or email or through one of our online communities, please email aisdsd at hotmail dot com for more details and the registration packet.

An Interview with Katie

2009-10-01T22:41:00Z

Katie, one member of our group, discovered at age 17 that she has a DSD/intersex condition - a rare genetic disorder that caused her to be born without internal female sex organs. How has it affected her and shaped her plans for life beyond medical school? How did it shape her feelings? Why did she go on the Oprah show?

Follow this link for an excerpt from a story written for her college alma mater that was presented in one of their alumni publications.

WNYC - The Leonard Leopate Show: Intersexuality

2008-12-18T22:30:00Z

From WNYC radio program, December 5, 2008:

About 1% of babies are born with some degree of sexual ambiguity. We look into how people who are have ambiguous genitalia or a combination of male and female body parts cope in a gender-based society. Katrina Karkazis is author of Fixing Sex; and Katie Baratz and Janet Green have both lived with some degree of intersexuality.

Link to the audio recording here.

Eden on "Primetime: Medical Mysteries"

2008-08-16T01:29:00Z

We were delighted when AIS/DSD member Eden Atwood appeared on ABC's "Primetime: Medical Mysteries" show on Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.

To watch the show on ABC's site, click here: Woman with Male DNA

DSDs in Cosmopolitan magazine

2008-04-03T02:13:00Z

Several of our members say the 1990 Cosmo article titled "The Missing Vagina" by Noreen Nash Siegel, was helpful in their journey to understanding.

For a scan of the article click here to read the PDF.

A few of our members also appeared in a later Cosmo piece titled "Was I Meant to Be a Man?". Click here to read the PDF scan of the April 2000 article.

Oprah: "Growing Up Intersex" and Eugenides' "Middlesex"

2007-10-01T01:48:00Z

DSDs (Disorders of Sex Development, also known as intersex) were in the spotlight on a September 21, 2007 episode of OPRAH. Dr. Alice Dreger spoke on fetal sexual development and different DSDs. Women affected by DSDs - Lynnell, Hida, and Katie - also appeared to talk about their own experiences growing up and living with DSDs.

Jeffrey Eugenides also appeared to talk about his book "Middlesex".

To see clips, information and photos from the show, please visit Oprah's site here.

For a clip of Dr. Dreger's educational piece click here.

Article in Chicago Reader: "What Sex Am I?"

2007-02-07T22:21:00Z

"What Sex Am I?", Chicago Reader, by Dennis Rodkin, February 1, 2007.

When Cynthia was born, doctors took their best guess as to whether she was a girl or a boy, and a surgeon altered her ambiguous genitalia to match. But her experience and the experience of other adults like her have led doctors and activists to radically...

Link to full article here.