In the gentle sunshine of June, rainbow flags begin to appear in windows, pride pins find their way onto shirts, bags, and communities across the world are ready to celebrate Pride month. Yet as we gather beneath these vibrant colors, it’s essential to remember that Pride was not just about individual celebration, but something far more important: the power of coming together.
The True Meaning of Pride
When we speak of Pride, we often think of parades, festivals, and joyous celebrations. But at its heart, the Pride march was never about being proud in the conventional sense. Back in 1970, the march was closer to a protest to remember the Stonewall riot than a celebration. It was about banding together—pride meant a pack, a group of people united to show solidarity, to stand together, to form unbreakable bonds, and to prove the existence of communities that society had tried to render invisible.
Throughout the decades, Pride month has evolved into an occasion to celebrate diversity, and rightfully so. Yet, in this beautiful tapestry of recognition, some of the smaller communities still find themselves not fully included, not fully supported, and not fully standing alongside the rest. The intersex community is one such community—present but often overlooked, part of the rainbow yet sometimes existing in its quieter hues.
Standing Together: Our Shared Journey in Activism
The past seven years have witnessed something remarkable. Intersex Asia and the intersex community across Asia have been working tirelessly, with quiet and unwavering determination, to fight for intersex rights and to prove that this community exists, thrives, and deserves recognition. Our efforts, along with those of intersex activists and organizations worldwide, culminated in a significant achievement last year: the release of the Intersex Resolution from the United Nations.
This resolution stands as a testament to every intersex activist who refused to be silenced, every organization that chose persistence over comfort, and every individual who dared to speak their truth. Yet even as we celebrated this milestone, we recognized it was not our final destination—it’s a waypoint on a much longer journey.
As a community, we don’t seek to portray ourselves in separate lights, standing apart from the broader spectrum of human rights advocacy. We all belong to the rainbow flag, cut from the same cloth, facing many shared challenges and obstacles. The fabric of our struggle is interwoven, and the path to equality should not be one of divergence but of convergence. There is no benefit in breaking away from each other when our strength lies in our unity and solidarity.
The Way Out Is In
There’s an old saying that reminds us that the power of a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This truth resonates deeply within social movements. To advance human rights for all LGBTQI+ individuals, we must look out for each other, raise each other, and together work toward raising the baseline for everyone’s dignity and rights.
Compared to some of the larger and more established communities within our rainbow coalition, the intersex community is still relatively young in terms of visibility and advocacy infrastructure. There is still so much work to be done, so many voices to be heard, so many stories to be told. This acknowledgment is not a request for special privilege—it’s a gentle but firm reminder that we should consider intersex people in matters that relate to all of us, create space for us to speak our voices, and ensure we can stand for ourselves within the broader movement.
The intersex experience brings unique perspectives to conversations about bodily autonomy, medical ethics, gender diversity, and human rights. When intersex voices are included, the entire community benefits from our insight. This is also a reminder that the strength to find the way out for our challenges and struggles is actually by looking inward to ourselves, our communities, and our collaboration. The way out is in!
Walking The Rainbow!
This Pride month, as rainbow flags start flying in the summer breeze and communities gather in celebration and solidarity, let’s once again remember the original purposes that brought us all together. Let’s look inward to understand our own journeys while at the same time reaching outward to embrace others on theirs. Let’s stand together not just in the bright moments of celebration, but in the quiet moments of struggle. Let’s support each other not just when it’s convenient, but when it’s necessary.
The rainbow is not complete without all its colors, and each hue contributes to its beauty and meaning. The intersex community, with our unique challenges and perspectives, our growing voice and determined spirit, is an integral part of this spectrum. We don’t ask to lead the parade, but we do ask to walk alongside our siblings, hand in hand, step by step. As we form connections and strengthen bonds this Pride month, let’s remember that true progress comes not from any single community advancing alone, but from all of us advancing together.
Together, we can walk the rainbow. Together, we can ensure that every color shines brightly. Together, we can build the world we all deserve—one where every person, regardless of how they were born or how they identify, can stand tall, stand proud, and stand together. Just remember, the way out is in!
In solidarity and hope, as we continue walking the rainbow together.
