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Two Friends Build A Movement That Changes Policy And Lives
Let us know what you think by clicking here to send us a text.
A simple question—can we light City Hall for Intersex Awareness Day—turned into a global spark. That moment captures the spirit of this conversation with the founders of the Houston Intersex Society: start small, show up, and keep going until doors open. We get personal about how two teens who once sat side by side in a youth group became artists, organizers, and policy advocates who helped take intersex visibility from living rooms to HHS roundtables and even the White House.
We unpack the early days: pizza-fueled support circles, performance art that disarmed stigma, and a decisive pivot from meetings to education when the community’s needs shifted. You’ll hear how a scrappy, underfunded nonprofit survived floods, a ceiling collapse, and a fire while running mutual aid, writing grants at night, and drafting legislative language that led to Texas bill numbers and federal engagement. The thread is persistence—asking again, showing up again, and choosing the rooms where change is possible.
We also go inside tactics that blend creativity and leverage. The Chicago protest outside a children’s hospital used a visceral “Intersex Welcome Mat” to force acknowledgment. Parents call for help; some choose to avoid non-consensual surgeries after real conversations. During COVID, micro-grants kept people housed and fed when identity labels became barriers to aid. And today, a compact community center on a bus line offers workshops, zines, archives, a low-threshold shower, and a few bunks for emergencies. In-person time still matters: people arrive heavy, make art, and leave lighter.
If you care about intersex rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, medical ethics, or grassroots organizing, this story maps how visibility, policy, and direct aid can reinforce one another. It proves you don’t need perfect funding or a large team—you need courage, continuity, and a habit of asking. Listen, share with a friend who needs it, and hit follow. Then tell us: what’s one step you’ll take to make your city brighter?
Click here for The Houston Intersex Society
Support the show
We hope you will listen often.
For more information, visit our website 22sides.com
View all episodes
By Robin & AlexisLet us know what you think by clicking here to send us a text.
A simple question—can we light City Hall for Intersex Awareness Day—turned into a global spark. That moment captures the spirit of this conversation with the founders of the Houston Intersex Society: start small, show up, and keep going until doors open. We get personal about how two teens who once sat side by side in a youth group became artists, organizers, and policy advocates who helped take intersex visibility from living rooms to HHS roundtables and even the White House.
We unpack the early days: pizza-fueled support circles, performance art that disarmed stigma, and a decisive pivot from meetings to education when the community’s needs shifted. You’ll hear how a scrappy, underfunded nonprofit survived floods, a ceiling collapse, and a fire while running mutual aid, writing grants at night, and drafting legislative language that led to Texas bill numbers and federal engagement. The thread is persistence—asking again, showing up again, and choosing the rooms where change is possible.
We also go inside tactics that blend creativity and leverage. The Chicago protest outside a children’s hospital used a visceral “Intersex Welcome Mat” to force acknowledgment. Parents call for help; some choose to avoid non-consensual surgeries after real conversations. During COVID, micro-grants kept people housed and fed when identity labels became barriers to aid. And today, a compact community center on a bus line offers workshops, zines, archives, a low-threshold shower, and a few bunks for emergencies. In-person time still matters: people arrive heavy, make art, and leave lighter.
If you care about intersex rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, medical ethics, or grassroots organizing, this story maps how visibility, policy, and direct aid can reinforce one another. It proves you don’t need perfect funding or a large team—you need courage, continuity, and a habit of asking. Listen, share with a friend who needs it, and hit follow. Then tell us: what’s one step you’ll take to make your city brighter?
Click here for The Houston Intersex Society
Support the show
We hope you will listen often.
For more information, visit our website 22sides.com