Nigerian-born intersex advocate Tosin Odunlami has shared his personal journey of self-discovery, faith, and advocacy for intersex visibility in a deeply revealing interview.
Nigerian-born intersex advocate Tosin Odunlami has shared his journey of self-discovery, transition, and advocacy for intersex visibility and inclusion in Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview released Friday by The Podcast Network, Odunlami reflected on his childhood and the struggles of living 25 years as a female before discovering he was intersex — a term describing individuals born with physical or biological traits that don’t fit typical male or female definitions.
“Intersex persons are not transgender. Neither are they gay or lesbian,” he explained. “Intersex means being born with biological variations, it could be internal, chromosomal, or genital.”
Odunlami recounted how, as a child, he faced confusion from doctors and pressure to conform. “The doctor did not even know who I am. They said they had to do surgery to cut off what they were seeing,” he said. “My mom took me to several churches; they gave me soaps and prayers just to make me grow breasts.”
His transition began after medical tests showed his hormones were predominantly male. “That was when I told the doctor, ‘Okay, I think I’m going to come to the male gender,’” he said.
Now a leading intersex advocate, Odunlami promotes education and inclusion through Intersex Nigeria. “It’s not a disability,” he affirmed. “I’m a normal person like every other person.”