PIDGEON PAGONIS // intersex activist & filmmaker

Booking Contact: (773) 609-0487, management@pidgeonismy.name

Pidgeon is a leader in the intersex movement’s fight for bodily autonomy and justice. Pidgeon’s goal is to deconstruct the dangerous myths that lead to violations of intersex people’s human rights, including common, irreversible medical procedures performed without consent to make their bodies conform to binary sex stereotypes.

In February, 2017 Chicago Intersex activist and filmmaker Pidgeon Pagonis appeared on a panel in New York City with Katie Couric at the premiere of the National Geographic "Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric" documentary. 

Pidgeon also shot their third BuzzFeed video, "What Do People Know About Being Intersex?" in February. The video, which went viral with over 200,000 views in one week, features on-the-street interviews in New York City and aims to dispel myths common myths about Intersex people. 

In March, Pidgeon will appear in a photo shoot and video from Teen Vogue. March 24-26, Pidgeon's film "The Son I Never Had: Growing Up Intersex" will be shown at the Leeds Queer Film Festival in the UK. This Spring, Pidgeon will teach the "Intro to LGBTQ" undergraduate course at DePaul University.

What is Intersex? Even though there are about as many intersex people as there are people with red hair, the term is not well understood. According to the Free & Equal Intersex Fact Sheet: Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations. In some cases, intersex traits are visible at birth while in others, they are not apparent until puberty or may not be physically apparent at all.

Pidgeon's Impact

• Over 3.4 million views of “What It's Like To Be Intersex" featuring pidgeon 
• Among nine LGBT Artists honored by the White House as Champions of Change 
• Twitter campaign for #IntersexStories Day of Awareness reached 4.2 million people
• Media appearances include: CNN, AP, NBC, Washington Post, Buzzfeed, & National Geographic

• Appeared in Season Three of Emmy Award and Golden Globe-winning Amazon series "Transparent"
• “Children’s Memorial Hospital Killa” photos exhibited at Mercer Union Centre for Contemporary Art. Toronto, CA

• Screenings of short film, “The Son I Never Had: Growing Up Intersex,” include Images Festival (Toronto, CA), ILGA World Conference (D.F., Mexico), Wellesley College (Wellesley, MA), and Mercer Union (Toronto, Canada)

Testimonials

“I loved Pidgeon’s presentation. They are authentic, relatable and engaging. Getting a room filled with 11th and 12th graders is no easy feat, but Pidgeon pulled it off with ease. I highly recommend Pidgeon to anyone looking to learn about being intersex, fitting-in and/or identity in general.”

– Janah Bocio LCSW, Social Worker, The Churchill School & Center in NYC

“Pidgeon gave an engaging presentation for part of Portland State University’s Pride Month. We really enjoyed that Pidgeon discussed intersex topics in really thoughtful and dynamic ways, especially through showing their unique and powerful documentary.”

– Grace Piper, student organizer, Portland State University, May 2016

“Pidgeon gave the keynote address at our annual Lavender Graduation and Stonewall Awards, an event honoring LGBTQA students. The keynote was a beautiful blend of Pidgeon’s lived experience with injustice as an intersex person and the importance of finding solidarity in a community of resistance.”

– Katy Weseman, LGBTQA Student Services Coordinator, DePaul University in Chicago

Book Pidgeon to Speak On:

• Intersex Issues
• Intersex 101 & How To Be A Better Ally
• Intersex History
• Intersex Activism Past & Present
• Intersex and Intersectionality
• The Son I Never Had: Growing Up Intersex documentary
• Sex, Gender & Intersex
• Healing Sexuality
• Binaries & Spectrums
• Queer, Non-Binary & Asexual identities
• Talks can be modified for middle and high school students…

Featured 2017 Speaking Engagements:

• Feb 2 - World Premiere Screening of Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric - Panel Guest - New York, NY, The Times Center
• Feb 10-11 - Queering Identity Symposium, Amherst College, MA
• Feb 18-19 - Featured Voice & Identity Forum Facilitator at MBLGTACC 2017
• March 2 - Intersex is Beautiful: Deconstruct the Binary Presentation & Film Screening, Old Dominion University, VA
• April 6 - Featured Speaker at University of Chicago