Alyssa Ball testifies for Intro 131 and intersex visibility

Hello.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak here today.

My name is Alyssa Ball, and I'm a resident here in New York City.

For visual description, I am the tall, hot, intersex person wearing a brown striped shirt.

My pronouns are they, she, and I am a super out and proud intersex person.

I am here speaking in support of Intro 131.

I'm a wellness practitioner who serves many people in the LGBTQIA plus community.

So through my work and my own lived experiences, I know firsthand how vital inclusion and well-being are to our community.

Having rights acknowledged clearly in the text of law has been shown to improve the mental health and social standing of people in protected groups.

And this is why this legislation is just super important in general for us to be included.

I dreamed of running away to New York City since I was a little girl.

I had this big dream of coming to this city.

And I think I will always remember my first New York City Pride Parade over 10 years ago.

And feeling like my days of hiding would finally be over, finding this place of belonging.

So New York to me is that place.

So hopefully that could be reflected here today.

New York City is such a special place where it promises us all that we can belong.

But the fight for intersex visibility only continues.

Even within the broader LGBTQIA plus community, we face exclusion and misunderstanding.

I have been surprised by how many times I've had to explain to people within our own community

how intersex is different from transgender and non-binary, or that these are totally different things.

And that intersex really is a beautiful spectrum of characteristics that fall under the intersex umbrella.

With much frustration, I watched Donald Trump claim in his inauguration speech that there would be two genders recognized by the United States, male and female.

And like many people, he doesn't know the difference between biological sex and gender.

This lack of education creates real-world impact and disadvantages.

Despite his lack of care, intersex people aren't going anywhere.

We have always been here and we always will be here.

I hope you understand how imperative it is for our experiences to be heard and valued and that we must receive equal consideration under any and all.

So again, I appreciate the chance to express my support and thank the council for supporting Intro 131 and to make anti-discrimination protections for intersex people permanent in New York City.

Thank you.