Intersex Day of Remembrance: Beyond the Binary
A date of solidarity
Every year on November 8, the intersex community worldwide observes Intersex Day of Remembrance, also known as Intersex Solidarity Day.
The date was chosen to mark the birthday of Herculine Barbin (1838-1868), a French intersex individual whose memoirs were later published by Michel Foucault. Her life story has become a symbol of the violence and invisibility faced by intersex people.
The day was first observed in 2005, when the Organisation Intersex International (OII) issued a call to commemorate Barbin’s life, highlight non-consensual medical interventions, and advocate for bodily autonomy.
Why it matters
Intersex people are those born with bodily traits—chromosomal, gonadal or anatomical—that don’t neatly align with typical definitions of “male” or “female”. Many face early surgeries, sterilisation, stigmatization or erasure simply because their bodies don’t fit binary categories.
On November 8, the aim is two-fold:
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Remembrance — for those whose lives were harmed, silenced, or ended due to discrimination, forced procedures or social exclusion.
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Solidarity and awareness — shining a light on ongoing human-rights violations and pushing for recognition, bodily autonomy and legal protection.
Group photo from the ILGA World Conference 2018 marking Intersex Awareness Day. Photo by ILGA World, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
The link with culture, identity and streetwear
For a brand like Miltti, committed to inclusive identity, visibility and creative resistance, Intersex Day of Remembrance is deeply relevant. It reminds us that clothing, fashion and streetwear are not just about style. They’re about presence, agency and the right to exist as we are.
When we design genderless clothing, pride t shirts, or simply create visibility through fashion, we are standing on the shoulders of those who fought for recognition. The intersex body challenges norms: it forces us to reconsider what “normal” means. In that sense, every piece of bold queer streetwear is a statement of belonging.
What you can do
On this day, you might:
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Learn about intersex lives and ask how clothing brands can support intersex visibility.
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Choose streetwear pieces that don’t force binary options and promote inclusive sizing and identities.
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Use your voice: share #IntersexDay of Remembrance posts, spotlight intersex creatives, and challenge language or visuals that assume binary sex.
Because memory without action can fade. Visibility without inclusion can be hollow.
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