A Ghanaian intersex woman named Janet Akutey has shared the story of her traumatic journey of discovering her identity at age 28 after years of confusion and near-suicide.
In an interview with GraphicOnline TV, Akutey revealed she only learnt she was intersex in July 2024, despite a lifetime of unexplained physical differences.
“Even though growing up at my adolescent stage, my body was not conforming to the societal expectation of femininity, I didn’t actually know what was happening to my body. My breasts did not develop, and I never had periods growing up.
“My parents will always ask me, why am I not having periods? Why are my breasts not developing? Because I have three kid sisters. And then even the last one of them started having periods and breasts. And they kept asking me that question. I didn’t know what answer to give them,” she shared.
Akutey stated that after turning 18 with no changes, she took matters into her own hands, visiting hospitals and prayer camps for answers.
“I started moving from one hospital to another for a while, but nothing changed. And then I resorted to spiritual interventions. I just go to prayer camps and live there for weeks,” she said.
When she finally discovered she was intersex, Janet said the psychological toll of her situation pushed her to the brink of taking her own life.
“When I discovered that I was intersex, I wanted to come out to the world because I had gone through a lot of psychological distress to the point that I even wanted to commit suicide.
“Because if a family will attest to that, a lot of intersex people have attempted suicide several times. Even those who have not actually attempted it have planned because I was on the verge of committing suicide,” she added.
Her turning point, she said, came when she confided in her Pentecost University pastor and his doctor wife.
Though unfamiliar with intersex conditions, they researched and supported her.
Now an advocate with the Intersex Persons Society of Ghana, Janet hopes her story helps others facing similar isolation.
“But when I found the society and then I found support, I realised that a lot of people might have been going through something similar and I want to help them with my story,” she said.
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