It took me a good few months from hearing about iCon to sending an email to make contact. Mostly I wanted to avoid disappointment – I’d been to, mostly variation-specific, support groups before, but the hopes of finding others like me had turned into yet another experience of not fitting. I’ve come to understand that, whilst this was difficult, it kept me searching for way of making sense of myself and my lived experiences that was positive and celebratory, and that despite all the explicit and implicit messages that I “needed to be fixed”, I only ever just wanted to be valid how I am. It’s been life changing to meet others who think similarly, and to experience community. It felt difficult and risky reaching out, and I am grateful to all the people who supported me to do it. Some things only community can do for you.

I am 52 years of age, and while I have in the past attended other intersex meetings and gatherings, I nonetheless found that I had quite a lot of anxiety leading up to the event. I needn’t have. I can honestly say that there are few times in my life that I have felt so accepted and unjudged, and I have so much gratitude to the organisers for bringing all of us together. There was so much love amongst so many wonderful people that I am so grateful to now have in my life. I am eagerly looking forward to the next gathering. Hope to see you there! Thank you Interconnected (ICON) UK!

I’m an older intersex person born in 1946 and the Interconnected U.K.  event on March 25th and 26th in Birmingham was hugely significant to me.
Often for those of us born intersex or with variations, silence and secrecy have run throughout our lives and for the first time I was able to meet others who’ve travelled similar pathways to my own  and with whom I could ‘connect’. The weekend in Birmingham was the first time I’ve felt part of a wider community, being understood and  able to understand. Part of an amazing  community giving me greater confidence, being proud of who I am and no longer feeling ‘APART’ but  ‘A   PART’  of a community where I feel truly valued and  at home.