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Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Health
- Buzz Feed
This Former Mrs. America Went Viral Sharing What It Means To Be Intersex
Up to 1.7% of the population is born into an intersex body — meaning, they are born with sex characteristics that don't fit neatly into typical definitions of male or female bodies. Despite this, intersex people are often left out of conversations, or worse, forced into surgeries performed without medical necessity or consent, often as children, to mold their bodies into binary ideas of sex and gender. Such was the case for Jackie Blankenship, a 40-year-old radio personality from Michigan — and former Mrs. America — who spent much of her life feeling like she had to keep a part of herself hidden. Jackie's parents learned she had complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), a condition where the body can't respond to androgens, or male sex hormones, when she was 4 years old. At 15, she had her testes surgically removed. At 18, she learned she didn't have a fully formed vagina and would need to undergo dilation therapy if she ever wanted to be sexually active. Still, Jackie says she didn't fully understand what was happening to her body until well into adulthood. "It has been a long road to say the least," she told BuzzFeed. "Intersex people often don't even know they are intersex until puberty, some even later. I was diagnosed at 4 years old but really only had a vague understanding of what this meant about me and my body until I was in my mid-20s." Today, Jackie uses TikTok to share her story and raise awareness about intersex, hoping to help others better understand what it means to be intersex and why representation matters. In one viral video that's now been viewed over 9 million times, Jackie shared one fact about her intersex body for every mile she ran, sparking a powerful and educational conversation around an identity that's far too misunderstood. "I hated this part of me for a long time, that hatred turned more into fear as I got older. I was afraid of people finding out or not thinking I was a girl or woman," she told BuzzFeed. But turning 40 in May marked a shift, she said. "I felt like I had kept so much of myself a secret. I carried a LOT of senseless shame and secrecy regarding this and so decided talking about it to my circle wasn't enough, I needed to start talking about it out loud and tell my story." Here's everything she shared: "Mile one, 9:08. Fact number one: I have complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, which is an intersex condition. I have XY chromosomes. We typically see XY in males, but when you have CAIS, you have XY chromosomes, too." "Mile two, 8:52. Fact number two: People with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome have external female genitalia. We have full breast development, and on the outside, we look completely female, even though — going back to fact one — we have XY chromosomes." "Mile three, 8:45. I'm not trying to pick it up; I probably should slow down. Fact number three: While I do have external female genitalia and breast development, I do not have a vagina. Yeah, so see, we have a urethra; we have the whole outer exterior, but our vaginal opening leads to what they call a blind pouch, meaning it goes nowhere. I don't have a cervix or anything inside, so dilation therapy is required if you wanna create that kind of vagina." "Mile four, 8:39 — I have no business going this fast. Fact four: I was born with testicles, yes. Now, here's the thing. Like a male, my testes produce testosterone. But my body can't process testosterone cause I have complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, so that testosterone was converted into estrogen, and that's what made me develop female. Now, due to the lack of testosterone, the testes were never gonna drop. They wouldn't be like a sack; they would just remain in my abdomen." "Mile five, 8:26, and I'm not trying to go faster every mile. I just apparently am. Fact five: I don't have a period. I've never had a period. I was born without ovaries, or uterus, or cervix, or fallopian tubes, or any of that, so I don't have periods. So frankly, I know nothing about them and I don't understand them." "Mile six, 8:09. I swear I'm probably gonna crash and burn these last few miles. Anyway, next fact: I don't create any body odor, and I don't grow any body hair because my body can't respond to testosterone. So, I don't get BO. I don't have pubes, and I don't have underarm hair. I've never shaved my underarms a day in my life." "[Mile] seven, 7:56. I'm crazy today. Okay, another fact about me: I'm completely infertile. All people with CAIS are infertile. We don't have ovaries and our testes do not produce anything that could create life, so we can't have biological children." "Mile eight, 8:28. Slowing down a little bit. So, our next fact: Women with CAIS are typically pretty tall. So, I'm only 5'6", which isn't super tall, but my mom's only 4'10"; my sister's only 5'2", so I'm tall considering the family." "Mile nine, 8:05, and I'm spent. And my last fact: Intersex people like me are operated on every day, especially children, babies, and teens, minors, and they don't really need it most of the time. A lot of times, because people don't understand a body that doesn't fit the mould, they're trying to change it and fix it. But what if we're not broken?" The response to her video was overwhelmingly supportive. Thousands of commenters thanked Jackie for opening up. One person wrote, "I just looked up the statistics -- 1.7% of humans are born intersex. That's a lot of humans. and yet, this is rarely talked about! Thank you for making this video and educating is Tiktokers!" Another said, "I have red hair and blue eyes. The fact that there are 10x as many intersex people in the world as people like me has always been one of the reasons why I stand up for intersex and trans rights. No one has ever looked at me and told me I'm not real. Much love to you." And yes — plenty of people were a little jealous of Jackie's side effects. "NO body odor, NO body hair, NO period???" one person said, echoing dozens of similar comments. Of course, normalizing intersex is what we should all be doing, but for Jackie, being intersex has not felt like a "superpower" as she never got a choice to live in any other body. "Do the side effects of this condition sound like nothing but good? Yeah, of course," she said in another video. "... But, like honestly, I would take being a, you know, a fertile woman with body odor and hair that I had to shave, and a period over the fact of having to do dilation therapy just to be intimate with my husband." Jackie's story is just one of many. Intersex bodies are far more common than people realize, with over 30 known variations. "The common misconception is that 'intersex' is visible," Jackie told BuzzFeed. "People think if you have an intersex variation, you'll be able to see it, but in many cases, being intersex is something that may affect your internal reproductive system, your hormones, or your chromosomes, all things you can't see with the naked eye." And despite being a naturally occurring variation, in many cases, doctors perform surgeries on intersex babies or children, like the removal of Jackie's testes at age 15, to make their bodies conform to binary ideas of "female" or "male." Intersex babies are also legally assigned a sex at birth, even if their bodies don't fully align with those categories. For Jackie, she said one of the hardest parts of being intersex is navigating the medical system. In some of her videos, she shares experiences of going to the doctor and being asked the same questions repeatedly, like when her last period was, and having to explain her condition over and over to her providers. "I wish doctors had more information about intersex conditions. Often, most medical providers have never met a person with my variation and have little to no answers about my body," she told BuzzFeed. "I am normally stuck providing information to them instead of them answering questions for me. It starts at the beginning, though — recognizing intersex people in health class and basic education, so as we get older, it's not such a foreign concept." Jackie's story is a reminder that bodies don't always fit neatly into boxes, and that's not something to fix. It's something to understand. "I've stopped caring what others may think or what political agenda they want to tie to my biology. I'm not as rare as people may think," Jackie said. "And if me talking about it can help another intersex teen or young adult, then it's all worth it." You can keep up with Jackie on TikTok, where she shares videos to help people better understand intersex conditions. She also hosts a podcast called The Unedited Body on Apple and Spotify, where she dives deeper into what it has meant to be intersex.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print' Trailer: Gloria Steinem Revisits Her Magazine Legacy
Gloria Steinem's legacy extends far beyond her literary achievements, but her beloved magazine Ms. is what really started a movement. The story of Ms. has been fictionalized onscreen in 'Mrs. America,' 'Minx,' and 'Good Girls Revolt,' and even had a real-life syndicated spinoff 'Woman Alive!' that started in 1974. The reach of Ms. is almost unfathomable — and its imprint (pun intended) on the sociocultural landscape is still being felt today. 'Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print' revisits the iconic publication through the lens of three directors: Salima Koroma, Alice Gu, and Cecilia Aldarondo. In the film, the trio each examine a different Ms. cover story to honor the legacy of the magazine. More from IndieWire 'Cloud' Trailer: 'Cure' Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa Again Proves He's a Master - This Time with a Grand Shootout Brian Cox Decided to Become a Character Actor After Visiting Hollywood: 'It Really Gave Me the Creeps' Ms. launched in 1972 and arguably revolutionized the feminist movement at the time. As the official synopsis for the documentary states, the magazine was suddenly 'bringing radical ideas to kitchen tables across the country and sparking provocative conversations about everything from politics to porn.' The documentary itself 'tells the untold story of the magazine's rise — how it defied the odds, transformed its readers, and continually fought to uphold its bold ideals in the face of cultural and political resistance.' 'Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print' features interviews with Steinem, Patricia Carbine, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Marcia Ann Gillespie, Lindsy Van Gelder, and Suzanne Braun Levine. The film premiered at Tribeca 2025 in the Spotlight Documentary section. William Ventura produces the feature, with Dyllan McGee, Amy Richards, Cindi Leive, Regina K. Scully, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez, and Anna Klein executive producing. Steinem was recently also at the center of 2020 biopic 'The Glorias,' which was based on her bestselling 2015 book 'My Life on the Road.' Julianne Moore and Alicia Vikander both portray Steinem across years of her life in the film. HBO Documentary Films additionally released 'Gloria Steinem: In Her Own Words' in 2011. 'There are more young women now who are feminist leaders than there ever were during my era,' Steinem said at the time when promoting the doc, 'and young women have better shit detectors than we ever had.' 'Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print' will premiere Wednesday, July 2 on HBO and Max. Check out the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Irish Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Netflix releases first image from Cillian Murphy's latest movie
Netflix has released a glimpse of Cillian Murphy's new movie, Steve. Set in the mid-'90s, Steve is a reimagining of Max Porter's Sunday Times bestseller, Shy. The film follows a pivotal day in the life of headteacher Steve, played by Oscar winner Cillian, and his students at a last-chance reform school amidst a world that has forsaken them. As Steve fights to protect the school's integrity and impending closure, we witness him grappling with his own mental health. In parallel to Steve's struggles, we meet Shy (Jay Lycurgo), a troubled teen caught between his past and what lies ahead as he tries to reconcile his inner fragility with his impulse for self-destruction and violence. Tracey Ullman (The Tracey Ullman Show, Mrs. America), Simbi Ajikawo (Top Boy) and Emily Watson (Breaking the Waves, Small Things Like These) are revealed as supporting cast members. Further cast members include Douggie McMeekin, Youssef Kerkour, Luke Ayres, Joshua J Parker, Araloyin Oshunremi, Tut Nyuot, Tom Moya, Ahmed Ismail, Joshua Barry, Archie Fisher, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Priyanga Burford, George Fouracres, Marcus Garvey, Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis and Roger Allam. Steve will be released in select cinemas in September and on Netflix from October 3, 2025.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kevin Kline, Cate Blanchett, and every ‘Disclaimer' Emmy acting submission
Apple TV+ will submit seven cast members from Disclaimer for Emmy consideration, Gold Derby has learned. Kevin Kline as Stephen Brigstocke, a retired teacher and author, will submit in Best Limited Series/Movie Actor, while Cate Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, an award-winning documentarian, will compete in Best Limited Series/Movie Actress. Both A-listers are on the hunt for their first Emmy wins. Kline is a two-time nominee for Bob's Burgers (2017) and Great Performances (2009), while Blanchett has a pair of Emmy nods to her name for Mrs. America (2020) in acting and producing. More from GoldDerby Michael B. Jordan expands 'Creed' universe with new Prime Video series 'Delphi' Here's your first look at 'Spider-Noir' starring Nicolas Cage 'Fallout' gets early Season 3 renewal ahead of Season 2 premiere in December In the featured categories, Sacha Baron Cohen as Robert Ravenscroft, Louis Partridge as Jonathan Brigstocke, and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nicholas Ravenscroft have been entered in Best Limited/Movie Supporting Actor, while Leila George as Young Catherine Ravenscroft and Lesley Manville as Nancy Brigstocke have been submitted in Best Limited/Movie Supporting Actress. Four-time Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Roma) is the creator, writer, and director of the limited series, which centers on Blanchett's journalist character in danger of having her secrets exposed by Kline's author character. Disclaimer is based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Renée Knight. It's coming off recent nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Directors Guild of America, and more. The project has a 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus declaring it a "dense and rewarding psychological puzzle" and "an intelligent offering from a dream team of talent that also dishes some plain pulpy pleasures." Kevin Maher (The Times) says, "The storytelling is exceptional. ... It's thoughtful, disturbing, thrilling and sometimes even overwhelmingly good." Ben Travers (IndieWire) calls it "a cunning psychological thriller with twists and turns enough to thrive as pure entertainment.'" And John Anderson (Wall Street Journal) writes, "The pleasures to be had in creator-director Alfonso Cuarón's extraordinary seven-part dramatic series are largely to be found in being led astray, kept in the dark, hungrily curious." Below is the list of Disclaimer's acting submissions for the 2025 Emmys. Note: These entries are being submitted by Apple TV+; additional actors from the series may still choose to submit independently. Limited/Movie Actor: Kevin Kline Limited/Movie Actress: Cate Blanchett Limited/Movie Supporting Actor: Sacha Baron Cohen, Louis Partridge, Kodi Smit-McPhee Limited/Movie Supporting Actress: Leila George, Lesley Manville SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby 'The Better Sister' showrunner Regina Corrado: Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks 'are at the top of their game' Danielle Pinnock on playing Alberta in CBS' 'Ghosts,' representation, and what's next for the hit comedy 'I didn't think he was a jerk': Paul Giamatti on finding the humanity in his standout 'Black Mirror' episode Click here to read the full article.
Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Homer Glen man charged with threatening state Rep. Nicole La Ha
Illinois State Police have arrested a Homer Glen man charged with threatening state Rep. Nicole La Ha, a former Homer Glen trustee and past Mrs. America winner. Steven Brady, 40, of the 13100 block of Rado Drive, was charged with one count of threat to a public official, a class 3 felony, state police said in a statement. State police were notified of an alleged threat made to the Homer Glen Republican representative May 16. The state police took Brady into custody without incident Monday, and he was ordered held during a pre-trial detention hearing on Wednesday, officials said. The nature of the threat was not made available in a police statement. La Ha was a Homer Glen trustee from 2021-2023 and has been a state representative for the 82nd District since 2023. Her spokesman issued a statement Thursday on her behalf. 'Thank you to Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow, Will County Sheriff's Office, and Illinois State Police for taking action to keep my family safe,' La Ha said.
