Welcome to AIS-DSD Support Group Blog. Here we hope to keep you up to date on current trends and information related to DSD and the progress we make as we work together.

 

A Letter from Key Note Speaker, Mani Mitchell

 

 

Click here for more information on Mani.

July 29, 2014

Dear Jeanne and all the Orchids on the Bay organizers (please pass this onto the others as well),

It is Tuesday. A little more than a week has past by since I left the safe space of the San Francisco/ Burlingame conference.

I have had some time to digest and reflect.

Firstly, I want to thank all of you who created this opportunity for me to attend the conference. You have no idea how timely, relevant and healing this was for me personally.

I was humbled and deeply appreciative to be asked to be given this opportunity.

Anne Tamar-Mattis has often talked about your conferences, told me how healing and magical they are. Attending always seemed impossible, and as well, I was never totally sure it would be the right place for me to be.

You all helped me get there. (thank you)

Your welcome was so warm and generous.

(thank you)

Most of you know I have been involved in activism (social change) all my life. I have been involved in intersex awareness and change processes for the last two decades. (Both at the national and international level)

That work has been both wonderful as well as difficult.

I know how damaged our community is and how working together can sometimes be difficult.

I think what you have all done with AIS-DSD Support Group is to create something profound, special and historically significant.

It was an honor and a privilege to be a witness, and for a brief moment in time, be a small part of what you have all created.

You, as a group, have put each other, support and healing at the center of what you are doing and out of that foundation I can now see all kinds of additional work areas, awareness coming – I hope you are documenting what you have done, and are doing because it’s as I said earlier profound and important.

You put the person/child, (family) heart, at center, and if we are going to change treatment models, respect and attitude, this is how it will happen.

I have been talking to Anne and want to talk more about providing links and visibility for both adults and families in NZ and the wider Pacific. It’s a critical mass issue, and so far our support organizations have not been sustainable. We can work on this in the weeks and months ahead.

I hope you have all managed to get some down time and rest this past week.

I look forward to making this link we have forged stronger.

With so much respect and love,

Thank you all again,

Mani B Mitchell