Intersex kids are routinely told from a young age that our being intersex is something private, something that should be kept secret, something that you cannot disclose to others at all costs. As a result, intersex adults and teens who are out and proud often have much difficulty finding other intersex people to connect with, become friends with, and even just be in the same room with. “Intersex and Chill,” this year’s NYC Annual Intersex Awareness Day event, allows intersex people to come together to share space, talk, laugh, share, chill, and just enjoy being in the company of a bunch of rad intersex people. While large hangs with many intersex people are uncommon outside of intersex organizations, we hope that this event will inspire others to find and create their own communities of fabulous intersex folks and enjoy the profound joy of existing together. (This event is hosted in affiliation with the Point Foundation for LGBTQ scholars.)

Claudia Astorino is an intersex person and activist who co-founded the NYC Annual Intersex Awareness Day events. She has raised awareness about intersex issues via writing (The Guardian, Everyone Is Gay, Autostraddle), presentations and workshops (NYU, UC Davis, Bluestockings Books) and interviews (First Person PBS, HuffPost Live, Circa News), and formerly served as the Associate Director of Organization Intersex International’s US chapter (OII-USA). Claudia lives in New York with her girlfriend, and she really, really wants a cat.