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Hida Viloria

Born Both: An Intersex Life Hardcover – March 14, 2017

by Hida Viloria (Author)

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From one of the world's foremost intersex activists, a candid, provocative, and eye-opening memoir of gender identity, self-acceptance, and love.

My name is Hida Viloria. I was raised as a girl but discovered at a young age that my body looked different. Having endured an often turbulent home life as a kid, there were many times when I felt scared and alone, especially given my attraction to girls. But unlike most people in the first world who are born intersex--meaning they have genitals, reproductive organs, hormones, and/or chromosomal patterns that do not fit standard definitions of male or female--I grew up in the body I was born with because my parents did not have my sex characteristics surgically altered at birth.

It wasn't until I was twenty-six and encountered the term intersex in a San Francisco newspaper that I finally had a name for my difference. That's when I began to explore what it means to live in the space between genders--to be both and neither. I tried living as a feminine woman, an androgynous person, and even for a brief period of time as a man. Good friends would not recognize me, and gay men would hit on me. My gender fluidity was exciting, and in many ways freeing--but it could also be isolating.

I had to know if there were other intersex people like me, but when I finally found an intersex community to connect with I was shocked, and then deeply upset, to learn that most of the people I met had been scarred, both physically and psychologically, by infant surgeries and hormone treatments meant to "correct" their bodies. Realizing that the invisibility of intersex people in society facilitated these practices, I made it my mission to bring an end to it--and became one of the first people to voluntarily come out as intersex at a national and then international level.

Born Both is the story of my lifelong journey toward finding love and embracing my authentic identity in a world that insists on categorizing people into either/or, and of my decades-long fight for human rights and equality for intersex people everywhere.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hachette Books
Publication date

March 14, 2017
Dimensions

6.38 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

0316347841
ISBN-13

978-0316347846
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Viloria does us the even greater service (it's more of a gift, really) of showing us what it means to live not just as both a man and a woman but also as a third gender that eventually emerges as the right one."―New York Times Book Review

"Intersex babies often have their dual gender surgically 'corrected,' but trailblazing activist Viloria didn't. Her book is fierce, brave, and a clarion call to celebrate our differences."―People

"[A] poignant and powerful story."―The Washington Post

"How do you discover who you are when you are born outside of what culture has decided is possible? Hida Viloria answers this question with this moving and essential memoir, a personal history that is also something of a history of America's blind spots around gender and sex."―Alexander Chee,bestselling author of The Queen of the Night

"Intelligent and courageous, [Born Both] chronicles one intersex person's path to wholeness, but it also affirms the right of all intersex and nonbinary people to receive dignity and respect. A relentlessly honest and revealing memoir."―Kirkus Reviews

"Groundbreaking....This brave and empowering book deserves a wide audience."―Library Journal

"Born Both is a courageous and compelling personal story that helps give us the necessary knowledge and understanding of the complex topics of intersexuality and gender fluidity. Hida Viloria has boldly brought us along on this journey of understanding and pushes us forward to become a more inclusive culture where we value everyone--not in spite of our differences, but rather because they make us perfectly and uniquely us. A must read."―Jane Clementi, co-founder of the Tyler Clementi Foundation

"Hida Viloria's touching and generous memoir shines a beautiful light of understanding not only on what it's like to discover, explore, and own one's identity as an intersex person, but also on what it means to be human. Through heartbreak and humor, Viloria writes with welcome candor and insight--and shows us that there is so much more beauty, brilliance, and complexity than can ever be contained in the categories 'male' or 'female.'"―Sam McConnell,producer of HBO's The Out List and The Trans List

"Words come alive in Born Both, which Hida Viloria has written with intellectual sophistication as well as passion for intersex activism. In this memoir, Viloria eloquently tells a deeply personal story within larger structural narratives of race/ethnicity, gender, and class, making for a simultaneously pleasurable and informative read. This book will not only captivate those interested in intersex activism and gender revolution but also those who enjoy skillful storytelling."―Georgiann Davis, PhD,Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas andauthor of Contesting Intersex: The Dubious Diagnosis

"Viloria's personal, positive, vibrant, and emotional work of advocacy will educate and affirm."―Booklist

"A valuable resource for those seeking first-person narratives by intersex people."―Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Hida Viloria is a writer and intersex activist, chairperson of the Organization Intersex International (OII), and founding director of its American affiliate the Intersex Campaign for Equality, also known as OII-USA. Hida's mission is to obtain equality for intersex and nonbinary people as part of a broader vision for a world that accepts and values difference of every kind.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hachette Books (March 14, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316347841
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316347846
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.38 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #212,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #249 in LGBTQ+ Biographies (Books)
- #394 in General Gender Studies
- #7,990 in Memoirs (Books)

Customer Reviews:
111 ratings

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Hida Viloria

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Hida Viloria is a human rights activist and writer whose work has appeared in The Advocate, CNN.com, Ms., The Global Herald, The New York Times, The Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, The American Journal of Bioethics, The Hastings Report Bioethics Forum, in her blog Intersex and Out, and in the college textbook, Queer: A Reader for Writers (Oxford University Press). Hida's first book, Born Both: An Intersex Life, is scheduled for publication on March 14, 2017, by Hatchette Books.

Born in New York City to recently immigrated Colombian and Venezuelan parents, Viloria, who uses s/he and he/r pronouns, has been in the vanguard of intersex, non-binary and gender fluid education and advocacy since 1996 as a frequent lecturer, consultant (UN, Human Rights Watch, IOC) and television and radio guest (Oprah, HuffpostLive, Aljazeera, 20/20, BBC, Inside Edition…). In 2013, he/r pioneering human rights work was recognized when s/he became the first openly intersex person to speak at the United Nations, by invitation, for Human Rights Day.

Viloria is Chairperson of the Organization Intersex International (OII), the world's first and largest international intersex advocacy organization, and founding director of its American affiliate OII-USA, aka The Intersex Campaign for Equality. S/he currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Customer reviews

5 star		72%
4 star		16%
3 star		7%
2 star		5%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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elderberryjam

Candid, Genuine, Refreshing, Helpful

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

I read Middlesex years ago. There was a child in my life/acquaintance who was going through finding out whether they were intersex. I was looking for a book beyond Middlesex, that described a real person's experience and emotions, so that I could be the best adult I could possibly be for the child. I also realized that 1/300 to 1/1000 people means that I could unknowingly have crossed or will cross paths with intersex people as a nurse, a teacher, or as a parent to children with many friends of varying sexuality and gender. As such a nurse, teacher, and parent, I found Hida's story extremely helpful and informative. I did not find her writing angry as someone posted. Working through living openly as intersex would be an emotional experience. That progression through emotions was precisely what I wanted to know about most. The primary way to raise healthy humans is to understand those emotions, and that experience. I am a tall woman, 5'11" and have been accused of being a hermaphrodite or trans multiple times in my life. But I've borne 4 children, and have no reason to believe that I would be. The repeated suggestion has made me curious over time, about how many people just might be. The suggestion has also created a concern for how we treat the sexuality and gender of others respectfully. I find the candid, genuine, biographical approach refreshing. This book has been helpful.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Dr. R. R. Dartt

A SUPER Book to read!!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

When I found this Superb book on 'Intersex' individuals I wasn't particularly looking for it. I certainly didn't want another 'Crappy' medical book loaded with negative information as has been given in the past. This Book is NONE of that. It's a very Well written book about the author's Life growing up from chilhood into adulthood and all of her Unique adventures while doing so. It's also about Her 'attempting' to change Rules & Regulations concerning deplorable medical operations done to Intersex children at birth in order to make them fit into societies boxes of either Females or males when they should be left alone.

I found this Book to contain a Lot of very useful information that has 'Helped' me too, as I AM xXy gender who was operated on in male form to remove my breasts at age 17. Otherwise in all other aspects I've lived my life as a very accepted male in society, and if you ever saw me in public you'd never know that I Am other than what I appear to be, but in Fact I AM also 50% a Female. I AM 100% Sterile too. which doesn't matter to me at all, now age 76. However I generally don't talk about 'how & what' I really Am as most people don't understand so why bother. It's Safer for me Not to.

So in closing this Review let me say that that IF you want Excellent information on this Intersex subject then this is a Superb way to accomplish it.

A Disclaimer: "I am Not a medical doctor in any medical field."
Thank you, and Have a Nice Day!

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jude F

ok book. not as informative as I had hoped

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 10, 2018

Verified Purchase

This book is a good way to learn a bit about intersex people if you don't know anything. If you are familiar with it, and want to know more, then maybe this is not the book for you.
I was pleasantly surprised about the writing, it was better than expected.
That being said, in my opinion the author comes out as a very angry individual. It is understandable in a way, considering how she was treated by many people. But the book is full of contradictions about the person and repetition about being intersex. (some spoiler to follow)
She says she is comfortable with who she is, and yet she is full of doubts, depressed and especially comes out as angry.
She loves her dad and respects him for what he did not do and yet hates him because of what he did (normal maybe with a parent? this love hate thing?)
She says she identifies as a lesbian, therefore woman in relationships/love with woman, but she also says she is neither man or woman but intersex, a third category.
There are many more issues but going chapter by chapter would be too much of a spoiler.
I also disagree with her when she puts ALL doctors in the same category. She only saw a few doctors, but blames almost the whole medical community for wanting to study and explore her as a curiosity case. For not knowing about people like her,. ALL doctors??? I don't think so.
Also, some people may not know about hermaphrodites, but not all people are ignorant! She seems to be an all or nothing author. Those of us who bought the book knew about it, or at least some of us.

All in all, it is an ok book. The first half better than the second half. A bit repetitive. A bit disorganized in her thoughts.
But the most I got from this book is that it was written by a self important, angry misunderstood "child" who needs therapy to come to terms with what she is, what she likes and needs guidance with what she wants to do with her life. It is not so much about being intersex, but more about her, her feelings, her relationships, her sex life and her involvement in several different groups.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ron Low

Proof of why nobody's potential should be curtailed

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 29, 2021

Verified Purchase

Everyone should be inspired by Hida’s beautiful exciting memoir Born Both, which lavishly illustrates the rich and impactful life she’s experienced. Nobody should have their potential truncated at birth.

I always assumed I could keep up with her, but she lost me at Burning Man. Fun times.

Helpful

RR

very Highly Recommended!!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

I've been involved with community education, organizing and activism around Intersex rights to self-determination for many decades. It is so very good to now have such an articulate, well written, wide-scope yet personal, downright interesting book to Highly Recommend to people asking for more information.
The author's writing style makes for very easy reading!! A totally accessible book, while still packed with tremendous amount of information along with the author's personal story.
I've been waiting a ling time for a book like this, stories, memoirs, autobiographies are such important ways for many people to gain their first real experience/info on other people's lives.
I'm looking forward to when we have a long list of such by other Intersex People -- they'll be happily welcome in my personal LGBTUQ lubrary.
Until then, this book is a Highly Recommended book to read a very interesting life story!!
Thank You.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer

A truly wonderful insight into Hida life and the barriers faced and broken down by this amazing woman

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 18, 2018

Verified Purchase

Wonderfully written it's both energetic and gallops along at a cracking pace whilst also pausing over the more sensitive bits, I felt like I also it's knew Hida by the end of the book and what a privilege that would be. I feel far more educated about intersex issues than I did before I read this book but not in a preachy sort of way, Hida just told it like it is. Her writing voice seemed to match my reading voice incredibly well and that made this book a real pleasure to read.

She

A hugely important book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 7, 2017

Verified Purchase

A memoir that reads like a novel this important book is an enlightening, and harrowing, look into the world of intersex people. Hida Viloria, born intersex but surgically never 'corrected', writes with passion and insight about the struggles and challenges intersex people face. An eye-opener on a mostly hidden world I found the book fascinating and informative. A key player in the movement for intersex acceptance and empowerment Viloria is a voice to watch and the book is a valuable resource, not just for intersex people and their parents, but for anyone questioning their sexual identity.

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