Hiker Chiu (; born 1966) is a Taiwanese

intersex human rights Intersex people are born with sex characteristics, such as chromosomes, gonads, or genitals, that, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies." Intersex peop ...

activist who founded

Oii-Chinese Oii-Chinese (國際陰陽人組織 — 中文版) is an intersex advocacy and support group and the Chinese-language affiliate of Organisation Intersex International. Oii-Chinese, founded by Hiker Chiu in 2008, is active in Taiwan, Hong Kong, an ...

in 2008 and cofounded

Intersex Asia Intersex Asia is a pan-Asian intersex human rights organization, established in 2018 and registered in Taiwan. History Intersex Asia was established at the First Asian Intersex Forum on February 10, 2018, in Bangkok, Thailand. The forum brough ...

in 2018.

Early life

Chiu did not fully develop the

secondary sexual characteristic Secondary sex characteristics are features that appear during puberty in humans, and at sexual maturity in other animals. These characteristics are particularly evident in the sexual dimorphism, sexually dimorphic phenotypic traits that distinguis ...

s expected of women during his/her adolescent years. Upon viewing his/her medical records, s/he discovered that a physician had described his/her condition, in English, as a "pseudo hermaphrodite." Chiu felt that this description made him/her a "monster." Chiu asked his/her parents about his/her condition. They stated that s/he was both male and female with "two sets." Chiu did not learn about the word ''

intersex Intersex people are individuals born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical bina ...

'' until viewing the film '' XXY'' in 2008, and after s/he reread his/her medical files regarding surgical and hormonal treatment performed in his/her early years.

Activism

Through Oii-Chinese organisation aims to end "normalising" surgeries on

children, promote awareness of intersex issues, and improve government recognition of gender. The organisation also gives lectures and lobbies government. As part of this mission, Chiu started a "free hugs with intersex" campaign at

Taiwan Pride Taiwan Pride () is the annual LGBTQ pride parade in Taiwan. The parade was first held in 2003. Although joined by groups from all over the country, the primary location has always been the capital city of Taipei. The parade held in October ...

in 2010. This was also the first time Chiu appeared in public as an intersex person. Chiu participated in the first

International Intersex Forum The International Intersex Forum is an annual event organised, then later supported, by the ILGA and ILGA-Europe that and organisations from multiple regions of the world, and it is believed to be the first and only such intersex event. Predeces ...

in 2011, including as a spokesperson. In 2015, Chiu joined an international advisory board for a first philanthropic Intersex Human Rights Fund established by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. In the same year, Chiu was elected to the board of the

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is an organization who is committed to advancing human rights to all people, disregarding gender identity, sex characteristics and expression. ILGA participates in a ...

, representing ILGA Asia. Chiu is a co-founder of

, established in 2018.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiu, Hiker Living people Intersex rights activists Intersex rights in China 1966 births Intersex rights in Taiwan Taiwanese LGBT people Intersex people