Celebrating The Beauty Of Being Intersex With Gigi Raven Wilbur.
Gigi Raven Wilbur was born in 1955 in Houston, Texas. At birth, Gigi’s genitalia did not fit the standard definitions for male or female bodies (a condition known as being intersex or a hermaphrodite). Within days, Gigi’s anatomy was “normalized” via surgery, and Gigi was defined as male. Today, Gigi identifies as intersex, and uses the title Ladyboy to offset the lack of pronouns for hermaphrodites. Growing up, Gigi struggled with the strict gender roles forced upon her by family, coaches, and classmates. She also suffered from severe learning disabilities. Told she would never go to college, Gigi worked stringing barbed wire on ranches in north and east Texas, until a fellow ranch hand convinced Gigi to give college a shot. Despite being forced to take a foreign language, something experts said would be impossible for Gigi, she graduated with a BA in Philosophy, and later earned a master’s degree in social work. During college, Gigi finally understood that she was intersex. Armed with this new knowledge, Gigi decided it was time to come out, all the way, as dyslexic, ADHD, intersex, and bisexual. Since then,Gigi has been an outspoken activist for the bisexual and intersex communities. After co-producing AfterHours, a radio program about human sexuality, Gigi created an iTunes podcast called Adult Bedtime Stories to help create a more sex-positive world through adult sexual education and BDSM performance art. Gigi has also served on BiNet USA’s board of directors, and helped established Celebrate Bisexuality Day in 1999. That year, Gigi was awarded the AIB Globe Award for outstanding service to the bisexual community worldwide. Gigi is also deeply involved with the BDSM world. Today, she advocates for the healing, cathartic, and spiritual power of BDSM as founder and Sacred Harlot of Aphrodite’s Temple, a modern-day sex temple which provides sex-positive education and a sex-positive sacred play space for adults. Gigi’s book is called The Dominant’s Handbook: an Intimate Guide to BDSM Play. Gigi also wrote the essay Walking in Shadows: Third Gender and Spirituality, about her intersex identity.
