Tonight, the Smithsonian Channel’s America’s Hidden Stories will air the documentary “The General Was Female?”, which explores years of research which determine that General Casimir Pulaski, often revered as the Father of the American Cavalry, was an intersex person with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). This is incredible news for our community, which has lacked historical figures because the world has been a dangerous place for us to live openly as intersex. We thank everyone involved in bringing this news to light, and are thrilled to report that the news has made national and international headlines. (We will be sharing more links to these pieces shortly._

We are additionally honored that our E.D. Hida Viloria was asked to participate in bringing this news to light in the documentary. Viloria was contacted by the Smithsonian Channel because they appreciated he/r work and message as an intact intersex person, shared in he/r celebrated memoir, Born Both: An Intersex Life, a 2018 Lambda Literary Award Nominee for LGBTQ non-fiction.

Due to the historical, rather than specifically intersex, focus of the documentary, Hida’s views on what this news means for the intersex community, and what light it sheds on the practice of medically unnecessary infant genital surgeries, on views on gender and biology, and more, did not make it into the documentary. However, you can read about them in he/r essay, “What Pulaski’s Being Intersex Means for Intersex & Trans People Today“.

The Smithsonian Channel was also kind enough to create the picture below for social media, with a quote Viloria shared in an interview with the Chicago Reader (pp.16-17), which more fully expresses some of he/r intersex and trans affirming views.

Please tune in this evening and share this groundbreaking positive news widely– the world needs to know we have always been beautiful, valuable members of society!