A.J. Dea and Dr Rogena Sterling

A.J. Dea and Dr Rogena Sterling

A J DEA AND DR ROGENA STERLING Paul and Cody welcomed Aotearoa (New Zealand) intersex community members AJ Dea and Dr Rogena Sterling to The I in Us. The upcoming Intersex Aotearoa Social Cohesion Wānanga conference,  held June 11-12 2026, was discussed. AJ Dea has over six years of experience and is very active in supporting intersex youth. Rogena Sterling was the first openly intersex person to get a PhD and a law degree in New Zealand and is a legal and multidisciplinary scholar, chairperson of Intersex Aotearoa, and a board member of Pacific Women’s Watch. Widely published, Rogena’s focus is on human rights, well-being, biopolitics of data and statistics, intersex issues, and Gaelic/Pict Customary law. Your intersex co-hosts and guests enjoyed a wonderful and robust conversation about the role “social cohesion” plays in building, strengthening, and connecting communities to address our personal and community challenges. Enjoy this remarkable episode with A J Dea and Dr Rogena Sterling. To re-live previous episodes, visit joy.org.au/theiinus [http://joy.org.au/theiinus] ENJOY! For support contact: https://www.joy.org.au/support [https://www.joy.org.au/support] https://www.isupport.org.au [https://www.isupport.org.au]   Don’t forget to tune into JOY 94.9 next Thursday at 6pm for another exciting episode of The I in Us. JOY 94.9 – Out.Loud.Proud – Your Voice – Your Radio Station Support JOY, support this podcast:  donate, become a valued member:  https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy [https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy] Your opinion is highly valued.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.  Your feedback helps us to improve your listening experience.  Thank you in advance for your time and contribution The post A.J. Dea and Dr Rogena Sterling [https://joy.org.au/theiinus/2026/06/11/a-j-dea-and-dr-rogena-sterling/] appeared first on The I in Us [https://joy.org.au/theiinus].

Jenni Atkinson

JENNI ATKINSON On this episode Cody and Paul welcomed another intersex community ally to The I in Us, none other than the Australian Capital Territory’s (ACT’s), Jenni Atkinson. Jenni (they/them) is a proud nonbinary asexual queer woman with a Transgender history who for the past 35 years has been helping others live their lives happily and authentically. This path led them to meet Cody and for Jenni to support the intersex community at Canberra’s A Gender Agenda and other organisations. This week also saw the commencement of Australia’s National Reconciliation Week (May 27-Jun 3). The theme this year? “All in!!” Passionate about Reconciliation, the unsuccessful result of Australia’s Oct 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum further fuelled Jenni’s already long-held passion and commitment to supporting Aboriginal communities to achieve their goals for self-determination, which led to a wonderful discussion about non-First Nations participation in reconciliation. To re-live previous episodes, visit joy.org.au/theiinus [http://joy.org.au/theiinus] ENJOY! For support contact: https://www.joy.org.au/support [https://www.joy.org.au/support] https://www.isupport.org.au [https://www.isupport.org.au]   Don’t forget to tune into JOY 94.9 next Thursday at 6pm for another exciting episode of The I in Us. JOY 94.9 – Out.Loud.Proud – Your Voice – Your Radio Station Support JOY, support this podcast:  donate, become a valued member:  https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy [https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy] Your opinion is highly valued.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.  Your feedback helps us to improve your listening experience.  Thank you in advance for your time and contribution The post Jenni Atkinson [https://joy.org.au/theiinus/2026/06/05/jenni-atkinson/] appeared first on The I in Us [https://joy.org.au/theiinus].

Sarah McLennan

SARAH MCLENNAN Cody and Paul welcomed committed intersex ally Sarah McLennan (she/her) to The I in Us. Sarah is a long-term ally of the intersex community. She has lifelong LGBTQIA+ friends whom she has supported through all seasons of their lives. In her teens (early-mid 2000s), Sarah volunteered for Minus 18 and Midsumma.  And with social justice being core of her mind-set, Sarah has advocated for compassion, understanding and inclusion ever since. In her early 20s, Sarah became a graphic designer.  During this time she realized how design could support organisations working towards social change. With her open mind and gentle communication style, she has been sought out to work with organisations on projects to make complex – often misunderstood – topics more accessible to the wider community. These include A Gender Agenda, InterAction for Health and Human Rights, Australian National University, ACT Health, MS Plus, Continence Health Australia, The Bays Healthcare and local government. Four years ago, Sarah’s family’s life changed immeasurably when her son was diagnosed with brain cancer – bringing her advocacy skills right to the fore. After assisting her design clients for years break the stigma behind the word intersex, she suddenly found herself doing the same for her own family. This episode aired during Brain Cancer Week so Paul, Cody and Sarah also discussed the challenges Sarah’s family has faced since the diagnosis.   To re-live previous episodes, visit joy.org.au/theiinus [http://joy.org.au/theiinus] ENJOY! For support contact: https://www.joy.org.au/support [https://www.joy.org.au/support] https://www.isupport.org.au [https://www.isupport.org.au]   Don’t forget to tune into JOY 94.9 next Thursday at 6pm for another exciting episode of The I in Us. JOY 94.9 – Out.Loud.Proud – Your Voice – Your Radio Station Support JOY, support this podcast:  donate, become a valued member:  https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy [https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy] Your opinion is highly valued.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.  Your feedback helps us to improve your listening experience.  Thank you in advance for your time and contribution The post Sarah McLennan [https://joy.org.au/theiinus/2026/05/28/sarah-mclennan/] appeared first on The I in Us [https://joy.org.au/theiinus].

Crystal Hendricks and Hiker Chui

CRYSTAL HENDRICKS AND HIKER CHUI This episode of The I in Us was broadcast during IDAHOBIT week.  So to bring awareness to intersex discrimination, Paul and Cody invited two much-loved stalwarts of international advocacy to the show.  Crystal Hendricks (she/her) who joined from Cape Town South Africa, and Hiker Chiu They/them), who joined the show from Taipei, Taiwan. Crystal and Hiker had also both recently attended the International Women Deliver conference which was held in Naarm (Melbourne) from 27–30 April.   WOMEN DELIVER Women Deliver 2026 served as a rallying point for feminist solidarity, resistance, and reimagination. The conference focused on the leadership, knowledge, and resistance of feminists, activists, and First Nations leaders. Additionally, the conference attracted over 6000 delegates from across the world. Both Crystal and Hiker played pivotal roles in ensuring intersex women are included in feminist conversations, and discussions about women generally.   HIKER CHUI Born in 1966 in Taiwan, Hiker Chiu is a trailblazing intersex human rights activist who has dedicated over a decade to advocating for intersex rights in Asia. Hiker’s journey of self- discovery and advocacy began at the age of 42.  This is when when they stumbled upon the term intersex while watching the film XXY. This pivotal moment led Chiu to fund the Organization Intersex International-Chinese (OII-Chinese) in 2008  The organization became a platform for Chinese- speaking intersex people to access information, awareness, and peer support.   CRYSTAL HENDRIX Crystal Hendricks is a queer intersex feminist and human rights defender.  She has been at the forefront of advocating for policy change for intersex people.  Currently she serves as the Sex Characteristics Programme Officer at ILGA World.  During this time she sat on two Women Deliver conference panels, including at the launch. With over seven years of experience in intersex advocacy, Crystal’s work is driven by a deep commitment to ensuring that intersex people can freely exercise their rights and freedoms. To re-live previous episodes, visit joy.org.au/theiinus [http://joy.org.au/theiinus] ENJOY! For support contact: https://www.joy.org.au/support [https://www.joy.org.au/support] https://www.isupport.org.au [https://www.isupport.org.au]   Don’t forget to tune into JOY 94.9 next Thursday at 6pm for another exciting episode of The I in Us. JOY 94.9 – Out.Loud.Proud – Your Voice – Your Radio Station Support JOY, support this podcast:  donate, become a valued member:  https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy [https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy] Your opinion is highly valued.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.  Your feedback helps us to improve your listening experience.  Thank you in advance for your time and contribution The post Crystal Hendricks and Hiker Chui [https://joy.org.au/theiinus/2026/05/28/crystal-hendricks-and-hiker-chui/] appeared first on The I in Us [https://joy.org.au/theiinus].

Peter Low

PETER LOW Paul and Cody welcomed Queensland-based intersex community member Peter Low to The I in Us. Peter is a 31-year-old queer intersex person from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.  He was born with the intersex variation 47 XXY (medically known as Klinefelter Syndrome).  In his early 20s Peter went through a near-death experience, the result of a drug-induced psychosis.  His psychosis was caused by medical malpractice in the way his intersex variation was treated. Following from this, it cracked his life open. What followed was years of intersex human rights advocacy, deep spiritual practice.  As well as the slow inner work of healing his trauma and meeting his own shadow. Peter travelled the world, and sat through more retreats than he can count. Thus slowly built himself back as someone who could turn what happened to him into something useful. Stepping into advocacy work showed Peter possibilities he never imagined possible.   Possibilities that pushed him far outside his comfort zone and gave him the confidence to forge his own path as an entrepreneur.  As well as a life of travel, building, and being of service to others. Today Peter works as a coach and facilitator under his own brand, My Human Design Coach. On this episode we learn about Peter’s journey of self-discovery, transformation and the message and awareness he now wants to bring to the world, particularly young and older intersex people: “Your Story isn’t Over, and Healing is Possible.” To re-live previous episodes, visit joy.org.au/theiinus [http://joy.org.au/theiinus] ENJOY! For support contact: https://www.joy.org.au/support [https://www.joy.org.au/support] https://www.isupport.org.au [https://www.isupport.org.au]   Don’t forget to tune into JOY 94.9 next Thursday at 6pm for another exciting episode of The I in Us. JOY 94.9 – Out.Loud.Proud – Your Voice – Your Radio Station Support JOY, support this podcast:  donate, become a valued member:  https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy [https://www.joy.org.au/support-joy] Your opinion is highly valued.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.  Your feedback helps us to improve your listening experience.  Thank you in advance for your time and contribution The post Peter Low [https://joy.org.au/theiinus/2026/05/28/peter-low/] appeared first on The I in Us [https://joy.org.au/theiinus].