What it means to be intersex | Susannah Temko

Transcriber: Leslie Gauthier Reviewer: Krystian Aparta

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

I have a confession to make, right off the bat.

我要先向大家坦白一件事。

I don't know what you were doing at 16,

我不知道你們十六歲時在做什麼，

but I'm a really big fan of "Harry Potter"

但我當時很迷《哈利波特》，

and was waiting way too long to receive my letter

且有好長好長的時間都在期盼收到

讓我進入霍格華茲魔法 與巫術學院的邀請信——

inviting me to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry --

I could have gone for sixth form.

我可以去讀它的預科。

I was also waiting for an invitation to the Jedi Temple

我也在期盼絕地聖殿的邀請，

or a tap on the shoulder to invite me to the X-Men.

或收到加入 X 戰警的秘密邀請。

I was that kid.

我就是那種小孩。

When I was 16 years old, I got my wish.

在我十六歲時，願望成真了。

I was taken into a doctor's office

我被帶去看醫生，

and told that I am in fact part of a group of people

醫生告訴我，我屬於一個幾乎隱形

who are still largely invisible and misunderstood.

且被誤解的族群。

I am intersex.

我是間性人。

That's my superpower.

那是我的超能力。

For many of you in this room,

在座許多人可能是第一次 聽到「間性人」這個詞。

it will be the first time you've even heard the word "intersex."

Intersex is anatomy.

間性是一種解剖的構造。

It refers to people who were born with one or more

它指的是出生時就有一種或多種

of a variation of sex characteristics.

性徵的變異。

That's your genitals, your hormones, your chromosomes

也就是說，你的生殖器、 你的荷爾蒙、你的染色體

that fall outside of the traditional conceptions of male and female bodies.

不符合傳統上對男性女性身體的觀念。

In other words,

換言之，

the most basic assumption we've made about our species --

我們對人類這個物種 所做的最基本假設——

what we're taught in schools that sex is binary,

學校教導我們，性別是二元的，

just male and female --

只有男性和女性——

is not correct.

這並不正確。

Like most things in this world,

和世界上大部分的事物一樣， 性別沒有二元這麼簡單。

it is much more complicated than that.

Intersex people who fall outside of this false sex binary

人類歷史上間性人一直都存在，

他們不屬於這種錯誤的二元性別。

have always existed, throughout human history.

Like the wizards of "Harry Potter,"

就像《哈利波特》裡的巫師，

we are pretty much invisible.

我們幾乎是隱形的。

Some of us don't even know that we are intersex.

有些間性人甚至不知道自己是間性人。

Like the X-Men,

就像 X 戰警，

some of our traits are obvious at birth

有些間性人的特徵在出生時就很明顯，

and others turn up around the time when puberty is supposed to kick in.

有些人的特徵則要在 青春期時才會出現。

When we find out we are intersex,

當我們發現自己是間性人時，

some of us believe we are the only ones in the world.

有些人會以為自己 是世界上唯一一個這種人。

Me, specifically, I have XY chromosomes,

明確來說，我有 XY 染色體，

which you may have understood to be typically male.

各位應該知道， 那表示我是典型的男性。

I was also born with gonads instead of ovaries.

我出生時，卵巢由性腺取代。

Standing here on this stage would have been my worst nightmare

五年前，站在這個舞台上

會是我最糟糕的夢魘。

only five years ago.

It would have been impossible.

那是我絕對做不到的事。

I use the metaphor of the superhuman,

我用超人類來做比喻，

but really, we are just like you.

但其實，我們和各位都一樣。

Intersex people are thought to make up to 1.7 percent of the population.

人口中有 1.7% 是間性人。

That means more, depending on where you are in the world,

那表示其實間性人很多， 要看你身在何處，

but you get the picture.

但你懂我的意思。

We are in front of you, getting coffee;

你排隊買咖啡， 排在前面的可能就是間性人；

we are sitting next to you on the train;

在火車上，坐在你旁邊的 可能就是間性人；

we are swiping you left and right on dating apps --

可能有間性人在 約會 APP 上滑你的資料。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So why haven't you heard of us?

所以，為什麼你都沒聽過我們？

If we are so common, why don't you see us?

如果我們這麼常見，

為什麼你都沒有看過我們？

How has the world responded to us?

世界對我們是什麼反應？

We often think of disciplines like medicine and the law

我們通常認為醫學及法律等學術領域

as supposedly neutral --

應該是中立的，

immune to bias.

應該對偏見免疫。

The law is "reason free from passion."

法律是「不受情感影響的理性」。

The doctors' Hippocratic oath states

醫生的希波克拉底誓詞中說到

that "warmth, sympathy and understanding

「溫暖、同情，和理解

may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's pill."

比醫生的手術刀 或藥師的藥丸更重要。」

In truth, these disciplines that touch our lives are impressive,

事實上，

雖然這些領域的知識 對我們生活的貢獻很讓人欽佩，

but they are filled with our prejudices.

但也充滿了偏見。

They are not immune,

它們並沒有對偏見免疫，

just as we are not immune to the effects of that prejudice,

同樣的，我們也沒有對 那些偏見造成的效應免疫，

which can be devastating.

那些效應可能很有殺傷力。

In medicine, intersex babies who are born with ambiguous genitalia

在醫學上，

出生時生殖器難以確定的雙性寶寶

are routinely operated on without consent,

會接受例行手術，

不需要得到同意，

without medical need,

這在醫療上沒有必要性，

irreversibly,

而且手術是不可逆的。

in order to make their healthy anatomy appear more "normal."

目的是要讓他們 本來就很健康的身體構造

看起來更「正常」。

This is before they've even said their first words,

這在寶寶能開口說話之前就發生了，

indicated a sexuality or a gender identity.

他就這樣被指定了 一種性向或性別身分。

Many people are never told the truth about their intersex traits,

許多人都不知道事實上 自己有間性人的特徵。

and those who are are instructed, often, not to tell anyone.

知道的人，通常則被吩咐 不可以告訴任何人。

Secrecy is enforced and shame is a close shadow.

被迫要保密，羞恥感總是形影不離。

In the law,

在法律上，

intersex people fall outside of categorization,

間性人不屬於任何分類，

and more importantly, protection.

更重要的是，他們也不受到保護。

This concerns the banal tasks --

從無聊的事講起，

if you can imagine the number of forms you've filled out

想像看看有多少表格上面

that you had to check "M" of "F" on --

必須要勾選「男」或「女」。

to lacking protection under any law,

更不要說在法律下沒有任何保障，

specifically, the Gender Recognition or Equality Act.

特別是性別認同或性別平等法案。

And intersex people cannot correct the sex classification

且間性人無法修改他們在出生時

被決定的性別，

they've been given at birth

unless they declare they are transgender.

唯一的辦法就是宣稱自己是變性人。

After decades of activism,

經過幾十年積極推行改革之後，

these life-altering problems are starting to be addressed.

這些會改變人生的問題 漸漸有人開始因應。

So why does this matter to those of you who aren't intersex,

如果你們不是間性人， 沒有變異的性徵，

who don't have variations of sex characteristics?

這些有什麼重要的？

I imagine many people in this audience have,

我猜想，在座有許多人都曾經

in the privacy of their own bathrooms,

私下在自己家裡的浴室中納悶……

wondered ...

"Are my labia too long?"

「我的陰脣會太長嗎？」

"Are my testicles uneven?"

「我兩邊睪丸不一樣大嗎？」 「我的陰莖會太小嗎？」

"Is my penis too small?"

"Is my vagina too wide or too shallow?"

「我的陰道會太寬或太淺嗎？」

Nothing that hurts or gets in the way, just aesthetically:

都不會痛或是造成麻煩， 只為了美觀，你還是會問：

"Are mine 'normal?'"

「我的正常嗎？」

I imagine that many people in this audience have those small concerns

我猜想在座有許多人 都有過這種小小憂心，

but generally go about their lives not thinking about it.

但通常就繼續過日子，不多想。

These variations in our bodies,

我們身體的有些差異，

like the color of our eyes or the size of our feet,

比如眼睛的顏色或腳的大小，

rarely affect our health, materially.

很少會對我們的健康 造成實質的影響。

To put it another way,

為了各位更能了解間性人的感受，

to give you an idea of the intersex experience,

我換個方式說。

what if when you were an infant,

如果，你在嬰兒時期，

your parents or your doctors looked at your labia,

你的父母或你的醫生

看了你的陰脣、你的陰莖、你的睪丸，

your penis, your testicles,

and thought,

心想：

"They're healthy, feeling,

「它們很健康、有感覺，

but they're not 'normal,'"

但它們不『正常』。」

even before you knew what you wanted to do with them,

這發生在你自己可以決定 要拿它怎麼辦或怎麼用它之前。

or you know, want to put them.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

What if they went so far

如果他們做到了這種程度：

as to assign you a different sex based off these measurements ...

根據這些對正常的觀念 就把你改成另一種性別……

And then they lied to you about what they'd done?

接著他們說謊， 不告訴你他們做了什麼？

What if these surgeries sterilized you?

如果這些手術會讓你無法生育呢？

What if they resulted in immense pain and scarring?

如果這些手術造成 很大的痛苦或創傷呢？

What if you had to take medicine for the rest of your life

如果你終身都得持續服藥

to replace the healthy organs they took away,

以補償他們拿走的健康器官，

and you had to pay for that medicine yourself?

且藥錢還要你自己付呢？

And then every time you went to a doctor's office for a cold,

且每次你因為感冒去看醫生，

you were questioned about your sex life,

醫生還要問你的性生活、

your gender identity,

你的性別身分、

what your private parts looked like.

你的私處是什麼樣子的。

And then more doctors and medical students were invited

接著還有更多醫生 和醫學系學生被邀請來

to add to these questions,

問更多問題，

ask you to drop your trousers

請你脫下褲子，

or submit to an unnecessary medical exam.

或接受不必要的醫學檢查？

This is a picture of what is happening to the intersex community --

間性人族群就會發生這種狀況，

people like me, every day, around the world.

全世界每天都有像我這樣的人會遇到。

Our community is not antimedicine or antisurgery.

我們這些人並不反對醫學或手術。

We are for the right to make decisions about our bodies

我們想要的是有權利

為我們的身體及我們的生活做決定。

and our lives.

The current approach to intersex people stems from a now-debunked academic study

目前對間性人採用的方式，

源自於一項現在已經 被揭穿的不實學術研究，

from a man who, over 50 years ago,

一項五十年前的研究。

believed that you could raise a child in any gender

研究者相信，你想要孩子 是什麼性別都可以，

by changing their genitals, never telling them

只要改變他們的生殖器， 不要告訴他們真相，

and reinforcing that gender over and over again.

並一再強化他們 對那個性別的認同即可。

It also stems from referring to healthy intersex variations as abnormal

另一個源頭則是將 健康的間性人雙性性徵

視為異常或生病的觀念。

or disordered.

This makes sense.

這也難怪。

If you refer to something as a disorder, it suggests there's a fix.

如果你稱它是種病， 就意味著有方法可以治療。

It also stems [from] the fear and stigma of being intersex,

還有一個源頭是 對間性人的恐懼和汙名，

from homophobia, transphobia, sexism

來自對同性戀、變性人的恐懼，

來自性別主義；

and ultimately, our colonial past.

最終，是來自我們的殖民歷史。

I am not here to say that the categories of men and women don't exist.

我並不是要說男和女的分類不存在。

I'm saying, like most things in this world,

我要說是，和世界上 大部分的事物一樣，

it is more complicated than that.

性別不能簡單地 用黑白分明的方式來看。

The world is complex,

世界很複雜，

and we can choose to see that as beautiful,

我們可以選擇把複雜視為是美好的，

or we can choose to continue to deny the existence of that complexity,

也可以選擇繼續否認那複雜度的存在，

push people into artificial, binary boxes,

迫使大家採用人工、二元的觀念，

fix what isn't broken

去修理沒有壞的東西，

and restrict our own field of vision.

去限制我們自己的視野。

One of the challenges that intersex people face today

現今，間性人面對的挑戰之一

is making ourselves visible

就是讓自己被看見，

and making ourselves safe at the same time.

同時還要確保自己的安全。

By that, I mean we are appealing to the humanity of lawmakers

我這麼說是要呼籲立法者發揮人性，

to make us safe

讓我們能安全，

whilst putting ourselves into the public eye,

同時我們能讓自己被大眾看見、

sharing our stories,

分享我們的故事，

trying to build community with people like us ...

希望他們試著和像我們這樣的人 一起建立我們共存的社會，

Even when it isn't safe to do so.

即使這麼做並不安全。

For parents of intersex children listening and watching,

正在聽、正在看 這場演說的間性孩童家長，

for those in the audience

在座有可能變成間性人守護者的人，

who may become the guardians of intersex people,

I want you to know I love my life,

我希望你們知道，我愛我的人生，

but it has not be free of issue,

但這個人生並非沒有問題，

especially in relation to being intersex.

特別是在身為間性人這方面。

No life is free of issue.

人生不會都沒有問題。

All coins have two sides.

所有的硬幣都有兩面。

On the one side,

在一面，

I have been humiliated in doctors' offices.

我曾經在醫生的診間中被羞辱。

I have stood in front of prospective partners and felt afraid

我曾經站在未來的伴侶面前，

感到害怕且覺得自己不夠好。

and so not good enough.

I have watched other women pass me in the street

我曾經在街上看著 從我身邊經過的其他女性，

and imagine the ways that they were more woman than me,

想像她們有哪些地方比我更像女人，

more human than me.

比我更像人。

I have questioned whether I have a place in this world.

我曾經質疑過， 世界上是否有我的容身處。

On the other,

在另一面，

I have been deeply loved for everything that I am,

真實的我，在友情和愛情世界中，

in friendship and romantically.

被深愛著。

I have learned compassion and empathy for a wider range of society.

我學會了對更廣範圍的社會 發揮同理心和同情心。

I have taken the time to love my body

我花了時間去愛我的身體，

and not judge the bodies of others.

且不去評斷他人的身體。

I have developed a strength and a hope

我發展出因為擁有這種生命

that would have been impossible without this particular life.

才可能發展出的力量與希望。

The instinct to protect children is instinctive and it's admirable,

想要保護孩子的直覺是一種本能，

也令人敬佩，

but the truth is that love, acceptance

但事實是，

愛、接受，

and refusing to bathe that child in shame

以及拒絕讓孩子沉浸在羞恥中

will protect them more than trying to fix something that isn't broken.

會比去修補沒有壞掉的東西 更能夠保護他們。

This is why it is in our interest to protect intersex people

這就是為什麼保護間性人 且讓他們被看見，

其實對我們有好處。

and make them visible.

For as long as societies reinforce one form of acceptable,

因為只要社會強迫大家

只接受某種形式的「正常」，

of "normal,"

everyone will face insecurity for being different in any way.

人人都會因為自己在任何方面 和別人不同而有不安全感，

Simply trying to erase variation, difference,

若只是試著消除差異、不同，

builds shame.

那只會造成羞恥感。

Being intersex has not materialized the powers

身為間性人並沒有讓我產生

我在青少年時期所期望的超能力，

that I wished for as a teenager ...

beyond being able to see where this false sex binary harms us all.

但讓我看出這種錯誤的 性別二元論會傷害所有人。

It is my belief

我相信，

that if intersex people can gain equality,

如果間性人能得到平等，

can be seen,

能被看見，

can be accepted

能被接受，

and can be loved,

且能被愛，

then we all will.

那麼所有人也都能獲得這些東西。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲及歡呼聲）