As an actor and filmmaker, River Gallo is accustomed to telling thought-provoking stories from the perspective of a fictional character. Their latest project, however, required them to grapple with the challenge of relinquishing control over their personal narrative.
Gallo, who uses they/them pronouns, is one of three intersex activists profiled in the new documentary “Every Body,” released in theaters Friday. Directed by Julie Cohen, the film carefully unpacks the trauma that many intersex people experience in their youth. But ultimately, it’s a celebration of those who come to embrace their true selves as they mature and, in many cases, advocate for social change.
“To actually inhabit my body and allow a film crew to follow me around for a year and a half was very bizarre and uncomfortable,” Gallo told HuffPost. “But Julie was invested in trying to cultivate a safe space to express ourselves in a real way, and that empowered us to be the unique expressions that each of us are.”
Watch the trailer for “Every Body”:
The term “intersex” refers to people whose biology does not meet society’s traditional definitions of sex and gender, and who, in most cases, have a combination of male and female physical, chromosomal and hormonal characteristics.
It’s been estimated that 1.7% of babies are born with intersex traits. Definitive data on the community, however, is scarce given that those children are assigned male or female at the advice of medical professionals, often requiring them to undergo surgery in infancy.
Interestingly, Cohen got the inspiration for the documentary after learning about David Reimer, a Canadian man who was not intersex but whose life experiences are relatable to many within the community.
At the urging of John Money, a well-known psychologist and sex researcher in the 1960s whose theories have since been deemed problematic and even contradictory, Reimer was raised as a female after his penis was seriously injured in a botched circumcision as an infant. He only learned the truth about his identity later in life, and died by suicide at age 38 in 2004.
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Cohen, who co-directed the 2018 documentary “RBG” about then-Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, keeps Reimer’s story central to her film’s narrative. She believes his case has newfound relevance in the present day, as “our understanding of gender evolves and expands.”
As eager as Cohen was to dive into such rich and complex subject matter, she was also adamant that her documentary deliver a “feel-good, positive and entertaining” message about the intersex community as a whole.
So, she sought out Gallo ― as well as fellow activists Sean Saifa Wall and Alicia Roth Weigel ― in hopes of encouraging viewers to not only become educated, but also feel galvanized to do more research on intersex people and eventually fight for the community’s causes. Collectively, the trio provide the film’s many moments of humor and joy.
“It’s not what the external world gives you or doesn’t give you,” Cohen told HuffPost. “It’s about overcoming a situation in which you’ve been told to keep your mouth shut and speaking out, saying, ‘This is my truth and now I’m fighting for myself and for others.’ That’s a victory right there.”
She went on to note: “These three people have taken on big challenges and come through with such pride and beauty. It doesn’t matter what the outside world says or does. Their victory is won by that action.”
It’s safe to say that Cohen succeeded in her mission, as “Every Body” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last month to widespread acclaim. The New York Times called the documentary “warmly engaging,” while The Hollywood Reporter said, “The film leaves you with the sense that, with greater awareness and collective action, the future for the intersex community can be powerful and bright.”
As for Gallo, they’re especially happy that “Every Body” portrays Wall, Weigel and themself as “cool people trying to create a societal change.”
“With all of the anti-trans bills happening across the U.S., queer culture is highlighting the fact that trans people aren’t getting affirmation,” Gallo said. “But it’s erasing the fact that intersex people are still being oppressed.”
They added, “I want intersex people to feel seen, understood and celebrated, so much that they believe that whatever they want to achieve in their life is possible.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.