Audrey's Story

[Received April 2004]

Hello

I have just watched the UK Channel 4 program [Secret Intersex 5 April 2004] about intersex children. [See our History of the Group page]

My name is Audrey. I am 61 years of age, having been born on 1st October 1942 at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

At 3 years old I was thought to have a hernia, but it was discovered in 1947 that I had testes instead of ovaries and a penis in the right hand side of my abdomen. I had one testis removed in 1947.

I always played with boys' toys, all my friends were boys in childhood and adolescence, although I was brought up as a girl. I believe my parents would have been informed of the situation, but I would imagine in 1947 it would have been very limited information. I personally was never told anything of this situation, either as a child or later. When the penis and the other testes were removed when I was 18, all I was told was that "my mother was having twins when she was pregnant with me and all that developed of my brother were his testes and penis in place of my ovaries and womb, and I was having them removed".

That operation was done by Professor Jeffcoates at Liverpool Royal Infirmary in 1960.

I was told, as were the children in Secret Intersex, "You can live a normal married life". But in reality it's not so. I was slow at maturing and developing and, after marrying my friend of 7 years, I very quickly discovered it was a bad mistake. From the age of about 22 I realised it was women that I fell in love with and I had no sexual feelings for men, who were "just good friends" and, I have to say, never desired sex with.

I am now 61 years old and living with my partner of 12 years, having had 2 others previously, one lasting 17 years and the other 7 years.

I have had my life now and have not been unhappy but life has always been hard due to being "different". I feel that maybe my experience may be helpful to other intersex children or counsellors.