Mani Bruce Mitchell (born 1953) is an

intersex Intersex people are those 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 binar ...

activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...

and counsellor from

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

, New Zealand. In 2021, Mitchell was recognised as a Member of the

New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for th ...

Early life

Mitchell was born and raised in the central North Island on a sheep and cattle farm and educated at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College and the

University of Waikato The University of Waikato (), established in 1964, is a Public university, public research university located in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university performs research in nume ...

. Identified as a "hermaphrodite" at birth, Mitchell underwent "non-consensual genital 'feminising' surgeries" as a child, and is also a survivor of sexual abuse.

Career

Since 1996, Mitchell has been actively involved in education on intersex and gender variance issues, lecturing at universities and running workshops around the world, and was also involved in the production of several TV documentaries, a film, and a photography book. Mitchell is a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors,

World Professional Association for Transgender Health The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA), is a professional organization devoted to the understanding and treatment of gender identity and ...

and the International Transactional Analysis Association. Mitchell is the Executive Director of Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand, also known as Intersex Awareness New Zealand. Mitchell has also narrated the documentary '' Intersexion'' (2012), directed by Grant Lahood, which features the story of Mani Mitchell and many other individuals, and looks at how intersex people navigate their way through life. Mitchell also helped organise the third

International Intersex Forum The International Intersex Forum is an annual event organised, then later supported, by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, ILGA and ILGA-Europe that and List of intersex organizations, organisations from mul ...

in November/December 2013, and participated in a meeting of New Zealand and Australian intersex organisations in Darlington, Sydney, Australia, leading to publication of the Darlington Statement policy platform. In 2021, Mitchell spoke of amazement at seeing "intersex people 'moving out of that shame and secrecy and into a playful, joyful place' over the years".

Recognition

In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Mitchell was appointed a

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ...

, for their work as a human rights advocate and educator. Mitchell is thought to be one of the first intersex non-binary New Zealanders to receive the award.

References

External links

Official website

Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Mani 1953 births Living people Intersex non-binary people Intersex rights activists Intersex rights in New Zealand New Zealand non-binary people New Zealand intersex people New Zealand activists New Zealand educators People educated at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College Non-binary activists Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit University of Waikato alumni 20th-century New Zealand LGBTQ people 20th-century New Zealand people 21st-century New Zealand LGBTQ people