Kathmandu/Pahichan – My name is Sheetal Humagai , I was born on the 27 July  1991 AD at VDC Sanopokhara, Kavrepalanchowk district of Kisantara in Nepal .When I was born, I was given a feminine name and raised as a daughter. However, when I reached puberty I began to develop like a boy.

I was 14 years old when I realized I was different from others and I began to examine that difference. It was then that I realized that my difference lay in the fact that I had been born with male and female genitalia. My family had raised me as a girl due to the fact that I urinated from the female part of my genitals and they feared society’s reaction to my intersex variation. However, my gender identity is male.

Throughout my childhood and adolescence they kept suppressing my identity out of fear that their social status would be downgraded if the community knew that they had a child like me, they also feared that I would be mocked. Though I was raised as a girl I often felt uncomfortable and stressed that I had to put on girl clothes. I was teased and humiliated often by my friends on the street and at home because my body was different to others. My father passed away before 2004 and I then had  difficulty with my livelihood and continuing my studies.

In 2008, an organization called ‘Rest Nepal’ came to our school and had a short conversation with my teacher esab Bahadur Raimaji. Looking at socioeconomic status, they guaranteed me a scholarship so that I could continuemy studies. At this point I felt that I could not disclose that I was ntersex. But later, with courage, I told them and despite my fear they continued their support for my education. With this support I managed to complete Higher Education and I was given the opportunity to teach in a school as a support teacher.

I was at one point introduced to Mr. Bruce Moore, who employed me in the Hotel Dwarika in Dhulikhel; at the same time the staff of ‘Rest Nepal’ took me to ‘Blue Diamond Society’ a Nepal LGBTI organization and here I got to meet and make friends with other intersex people.

I was incredibly happy to become part of this community but when I learned about intersex issues and how they have not been highlighted, I felt sad. In the last six months, I have voluntarily undergone surgery in hospital to make my genitals more masculine. However, the initial surgery was not successful and I will need another in three months. I am happy now and have come out from the closet. I have started speaking about my experience of being intersex and I would like to thank ‘Rest Nepal’ for their initiative and help.

http://pahichan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Intersex-Stories-in-Nepal-EnglishStandard.pdf