Its #IntersexAwarenessDay

A word I refused to use to describe myself for so long. However, I felt so alone growing up, as I had never met anyone else like me. I still haven't. I had no one to talk to about it or relate to, and feel 'normal'.

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Intersex is living with life-long surgery complications, many of which have made sex work extremely difficult or forced me to stop.

Growing up, I was relentlessly bullied for precocious puberty, having a deep voice, having an Adams apple but having long blonde, curly hair.

I couldn't understand what was wrong with me and I longed for a girls voice. I went to speech therapy but it felt to humiliating so I stopped. I was offered surgery on my adams apple which I refused due to risk of losing my voice completely.

It took me a long time, largely on my own, to accept that I am what I am. It took even longer for me to accept that what I say is more important than how deep it sounds.

For the first time at the age of 22, I finally spoke about it with doctors, and how difficult it was.

I remember post-surgery, the surgeon coming round with a team of doctors. I had an epidural in my back, he put my legs up and out, and a team of 10 or so began staring whilst he prodded and poked. I was mortified. After 30 mins or so he left.

I hate being called medically interesting because I am not. For you perhaps, but for me its quite a crappy condition to live with, made worse by bullies and doctors at times.

Even now, I still get upset when people say things about how I sound or look.

I didnt ask to be born with this condition, I hate it so much. There are numerous complications, a lot of medications with side effects and long term damaging consequences; physically and mentally.

Its not all doom and gloom. Its been nice to see other intersex people online and realise isn't just me. However, it is always saddening to see parents discuss having IVF to avoid having a girl with CAH. My life is worth living, and I am more than my medical condition.

I should note: I had the most severe form of CAH and the worst intersex traits my doc had seen. Baby girls born today have significantly better outcomes, less surgery intervention is needed and better treatments, reducing severity of intersex traits.

Also when I was born, my parents were not educated in the condition and therefore, didnt realise how serious it could be. As a result, my condition was rarely controlled as I barely took my tablets. This isnt so much the case today as there is greater education for parents.