The stars of Every Body, a documentary about the lives of three intersex people, say the film gave them an opportunity to show their reality in a more three-dimensional way than they’ve usually experienced.
“I have had my fair share of media opportunities, and I think often what happens is that it’s kind of shown in a two-dimensional way,” Sean Saifa Wall told The Advocate Channel’s Tracy E. Gilchrist.
“In this film, there was, like, a more complex story, on my part shown … I have shared more deeply and more vulnerably,” Wall added.
“This is a more comprehensive platform than we’re often given,” said Alicia Roth Weigel, noting that she frequently testifies before legislatures, where she’s limited to two minutes.
“Intersex is a hard concept to reduce to two minutes,” she said.
She said it’s sometimes hard to get intersex inclusion even in the queer movement. “We’ve had to rob the mike, at least I have, at different queer galas,” she explained.
Every Body shows not just the pain and trauma of intersex people but also the joy, Weigel said. For audiences, it will be “not only a jarring experience but a joyful experience because of the way that Julie made the movie,” she said, referring to director Julie Cohen.
River Gallo said the film was “a beautiful opportunity,” but it arouses mixed feelings in them. “There are certain things that I talk about in the documentary that I’m still in the process of figuring out myself,” Gallo said.
“I seem inspiring and powerful, and I am those things, but also, I’m so insecure about who I am,” they added.
Importantly, however, the film makes clear that “our lives as intersex activists are so worthy and deserving of being celebrated,” Gallo said.
Wall commented, “I hope that people come to this film with curiosity, not only about the content but about themselves, about what they’ve learned about what they’ve internalized about biological sex and gender.”
“Especially in this current political and historical moment, it’s more vital than ever,” he said.
Every Body was released in theaters over the summer and is now available on major streaming platforms.
