Monday, May 4, 2009

A True Hermaphrodite: Hida Viloria


Hida Viloria was born as a true hermaphrodite. She traveled all around the world to share what it's like to be born as a intersex and to live life without "corrective" surgery or hormones. She appeared on the Oprah Winfrey and for some odd reason, no one is allowed to say the word, "Hermaphrodite" on television. This is what Hida shared on Oprah's show:



"Hida says when she was growing up, she always felt different. "I was more aggressive than other girls," she says. "I really did play and compete more like the boys."

When she was 27, Hida read an article about intersex people and realized that it was referring to people like her. But her condition is different than Katie's. Hida has two X chromosomes, so her body is biologically female. But her body also produces higher levels of testosterone, which is responsible for her male traits. "My clitoris is large enough that it resembles a small penis," Hida says.

Though Hida says she may have identified with boys in some ways, she never wanted to be a boy. "I wasn't really a tomboy in the same way that a lot of non-intersex girls I know were tomboys. Like, I didn't wear boys' clothes growing up. I went to Catholic school, I had the uniform. I didn't have a problem with the skirt."

Now, Hida says she feels and looks "more male" or "more female" in different situations.

Here's a quote from Barbara Walters and the N.Y. Times:

"She was born, shall we say, different, and she's not alone. There are thousands of others like her, and it is for their sake that she comes forward.... Lynn Sher with a woman determined to change the way people with ambiguous gender are treated."

Barbara Walters
introducing Hida on "20/20," April 19, 2001

"Hida Viloria, a voluble hermaphrodite with exquisite cheekbones, can pass effortlessly from ravishing femininity to sullen machismo. Having lived credibly as a woman and as a man, Hida... now seems happiest occupying "the middle ground" between them."

N.Y. Times, February 4, 2000

9 comments:

  1. This blog is ridiculous

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  2. @10:33 AM

    AND SO ARE YOU!

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  3. Ooh temper, temper! Calm yourself!

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  4. Are you writing from a mental hospital? Do they ever let you out on day trips? I took a bunch of looneys to the seaside once, nearly lost one of them. Like herding cats. It's risky going out though. You might bump into one of those reptiles or maybe even a hermaphrodite. Then you'll need a shower in case you catch something.

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  5. Anyone with a computer can find accurate information on hermaphrodites, more commonly referred to today is "intersexuals" or people who are "intersex." We are not the "cursed" offspring of incestuous relationships, and we do not possess both male and female genitals. We are people born with a wide variety of conditions which are variations in sex development which produce sexual characteristics which are masculine and feminine. Please educate yourselves before posting this harmful misinformation.

    Whoever wrote the last comment, about this person writing from a mental hospital: you are obviously ignorant about this, which is fine, but your bigotry, as expressed in the "you'll need to take a shower"comment, is shameful.

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  6. OMG!Ma che cazzate scrive questo blog!Gli ermafroditi non sono figli di relazioni incestuose!Questa è DISINFORMAZIONE!

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  7. Cosa c'entra l'incesto con l'ermafroditismo?NIENTE!Sono sicura che questo blog è scritto da qualche estremista religioso ottuso che vuole fare solo disinformazione!
    p.s= a tutti:sorry but I don't speak good english.Ciao

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  8. Do not believe what I read. I know a girl of 5 years of age who have the complete androgen insensitivity and is an ordinary girl despite being XY. I know a boy of 6 years of age with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and is also normal despite being XX. People should be better informed before writing such nonsense, not least since these children will search the Internet to understand your situation, and read things like (they are monsters) or fruit insestos relations can be devastating. Think and reflect.

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  9. A true hermaphrodite is someone with an XY/XX mosaic or something of that nature. A person with XX chromosomes only is not a true hermaphrodite. As far as I understand, Hilda Viloria has clitoromegaly; an enlarged clitoris due to excessive androgen exposure in the womb. Most instances of this are really not all that impressive and the organ is still distinguishable as a clitoris. I am not attempting to invalidate any third gender identity this person might have, I'm just pointing out a technicality.

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