Celebrate and Elevate!
On April 15th and !6th 2024 Juleigh was invited to participate in a round table event, hosted by Transaction Florida and Equality Florida. The two-day event was facilitated by Collaborative Labs in Tampa Florida and accommodations, registration and dinner at the beautiful Holiday Inn Harborside Resort in nearby Indian Beach. JustJuleigh.com was honored to be asked to attend and to use her story to change perceptions and continue to educate on what it means to be the “I” in the acronym. Below are her thoughts. We are proud of all involved and OF COURSE, We are Proud of Juleigh and her commitment to “Celebrate and Elevate”!
“If you know me well, you then know I sometimes struggle within dynamic groups to share my voice. Not because I am not well adapted in doing so, (you have to be able to stand alone as an advocate!) but more because when you fill a room with strong voices and movers and shakers you begin to question where your voice fits, will it be valued, or will it be heard at all?” Certainly, within the LGBTQIA+ arena and when you are swimming through somewhat uncharted waters this all can be extra taxing and it is easy to then feel like an outsider invited to the table but also trying to delicately mingle while using the correct utensils in the right order at the right time. (Richard Gere Me in the Ballroom)
As I checked into the host hotel on Monday night I immediately was ingratiated into the fold. I knew some faces and had tried to encourage education within the community in the past. I quickly began to meet new faces and began to share my XXY story within smaller subsets. Lots of questions followed and light bulbs started to pop as some individuals started to conceptualize the possibilities of what Intersex truly means and how we do cross over. We went around the room introducing ourselves and sharing our Passions and how you might recognize us…of course I led with my most noteworthy appearance on CSI Las Vegas! I shared my statistical facts…..2% of the worlds global pop. knows they are Intersex. 2% of that 2% identifies as Trans….Its a spectrum. That we absolutely come across some of the very same discriminatory practices. We laughed and bonded and continued important conversations through the evening.
One of my favorite connections led to Angelique, Myself and Anya discussing relationships, knowing our value and the way we all come from different upbringings and traumas and shared experiences to create a perfect blend and while some may see fractures of colors, If you turn it a little and focus in that the luminous collectives align just like a Kaleidescope! We all reminisced this morning at the beginning of the workshop that we each felt, seen and heard and loved in that moment and we had wished that more had been involved!
Let’s be very clear. The Intersection between the Trans community and the Intersex community has had its ups and downs over the years and as an advocate for my entire community and not just XXY’s I have heard Good and Bad reactions from both sides about our inclusion even in the Alphabet Soup! Some Intersex individuals ABSOLUTELY do not want to be associated as the “I”. I was told initially, years ago by a leading advocate in my community to not focus on the “Gay Community” as that can hurt the overall advancement of the Intersex Community! I heard from another community leader today that she had heard an intersex individual say that standing bedside the trans community could eventually get our protected class ousted and we could lose all our resources. But how are we supposed to come together and be fierce Ally’s and unify our communities If we are not embracing one another’s fights? championing each other’s wins and tying together the very threads that form our very nuanced Tapestry? The Tapestry is absolutely made stronger and sturdier because of ALL the Threads and Yarns and Fibers. That analogy is the very reason our PRIDE Flag has such a vibrant presence and representative of all the Letters, all the Lives and yet as we Listened and Learned yesterday and today some still are unclear on the affiliations and stories at our very own table. Angelique Godwin along with her team at Collaborative Labs and through her many reaches within Equality Florida was able to amass an impressive congregation of movers and shakers to create equity and a game plan for the next year and also the next 100 days and I am still giddy with joy at the intersection and inclusion and embracing mentality to not only educate and build a better tomorrow but to harness a movement where Intersex is a part of the solution.
Today at Collaborative Labs we were joined by more leaders and entrepreneur’s and Allies and Local Voices to Brainstorm collectively, and the synergy was at times provoking, stimulating, eye opening and tangible as we committed early on to LISTEN and Be open to learn and receive. The importance of accountability among ourselves and within our organizations to educate and lead. To Call individuals “Into” conversations with humility and grace and extend that balance when then Calling them “Out”!
Early on in one of our first exercises we divided into groups with leaders we may not have met yet and created Magazine covers that shared our individual “Vison Statements” and “Goals” for a better 2025. Each Cover had “Article Titles” listed that had been comprised of “Virtual Zoom Calls ” we each participated in prior to the round table. As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece I had trepidation that suggestions I had presented early on might not rise to the top or be recognized today and so even in my own group I made a commitment to myself for my entire community to be Included in the medical sub thread that there be a more cohesive push for Medical practitioners to have a working knowledge of Trans and Intersex education to cover the evident intersection. I was elated that as a group I had a voice. Imagine my Joy when other groups began to present their own covers and a few of the groups and individuals made eye contact and intersex terminology in their verbiage! In that moment I shed a tear because THEY DID SEE US! Just like the M&M holiday commercial where RED and YELLOW meet SANTA and all parties say “THEY DO EXIST!!” In that vey moment I felt In less than 24 hours I had changed perceptions and educated to improve our chances to better Equity for BOTH Parties!! Look at some of these amazing Ideals!!
as the day continued, we continued to dissect and share aptitudes and efforts to streamline intentions and after a Long and rewarding Day it was time to say our Thank Yous and Goodbyes and return to our individual lives and making a commitment to continue to educate and facilitate growth, merit and change. Celebrating and Elevating along the way. I left with a personal goal to lead and facilitate a more comprehensive resource of information teaching and reaching out to share the Intersex movement and foster opportunities alongside Transaction and EQFL to educate all. To be a shining and tangible advocate and ambassador of my community.TO CONTINUE TO SHARE MY STORY, MY JOURNEY and MY VESSEL! This analogy/Tok is added for JULES RAYNE- Don’t look at the eyes…. Crazy filters!
This was a GREAT TIME, and I am forever grateful for the new bonds and Relationships that will blossom from this event!! I am forever grateful for the Community Unity!! My community is forever grateful for the visibility! Thank You Angelique. Thank YOU! “
-Juleigh
We want to mention that Juleigh has had a busy few week. She partnered again with dear friend and ally, Irene Pons Beatrice to educate Law Students at FAMU Orlando on her Journey and advocating along with her 2018 and 2022 victories in Florida and Alabama over Intersex inclusion, Case Laws and Birth Certificates. After the work was done she attended “Come Out With Pride Orlando’s” PRIDE PROM! Pride Prom was held at the Orlando Science Center and The theme was “Neon”! This was Pride Proms 3 year and fun was had by all in attendance! please see pics, below. Juleigh? How were you not a part of the Royal Court?? She’s forever our reigning queen! America’s Sweetheart in Our Book!!
Juleigh was also asked to return to Birmingham Alabama’s Pride celebration this June, but will have to decline this year due to prior commitments.
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