The Amazing, Heartbreaking Story Of Tony Briffa, The World's First Openly Intersex Mayor
By: Daniel Villarreal
On: Dec 10, 2011
http://www.queerty.com/the-amazing-heartbreaking-story-of-tony-briffa-the-worlds-first-openly-intersex-mayor-20111210/ (http://www.queerty.com/the-amazing-heartbreaking-story-of-tony-briffa-the-worlds-first-openly-intersex-mayor-20111210/)
At birth, Tony Briffa's doctors couldn't determine his gender. He had a rare intersex condition known as Incomplete Testicular Feminisation that made his gonads release estrogen even though he genetically tested as male. So on his doctor's advice his parents raised him as a girl named Antoinette—they painted his room pink, gave him dolls at Christmas and made him wear frilly dresses to school.
The frequent hospital visits for hormone therapy and surgery made him feel like a freak: his parents had him castrated at age seven and even though he told his doctors as a pre-teen that he felt like a boy, they ignored him and continued administering female hormone therapy, something that filled him with desperation and thoughts of suicide as he entered his teenage years.
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Tony Briffa Of Australia's City Of Hobsons Bay Becomes World's First Intersex Mayor
First Posted: 12/10/11 02:36 PM ET Updated: 12/10/11 02:36 PM ET
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/10/tony-briffa-intersex-mayor_n_1140840.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/10/tony-briffa-intersex-mayor_n_1140840.html)
Tony Briffa has become the world's first openly intersex mayor.
As Care2.com is reporting, Briffa won the position in the City of Hobsons Bay, which is situated just outside of Melbourne, Australia.
"I am excited about the future of our community and look forward to serving the city with enthusiasm and pride," he said.
ADVOCATE.com
Intersex Mayor Elected in Australia
By Winston Gieseke | Posted on Advocate.com December 09, 2011 07:50:00 PM ET
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/12/09/Intersex_Mayor_Elected_in_Australia/ (http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/12/09/Intersex_Mayor_Elected_in_Australia/)
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Tony Briffa
The city of Melbourne has elected Australia's first intersex mayor.
Last month councillor Tony Briffa, a longtime supporter of the gay community, was voted into the top position in Hobsons Bay, a section of Melbourne that includes the suburbs of Altona, Brooklyn, Laverton, Newport, and Williamstown.
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SAMESAME
Melbourne elects Australia'sfirst intersex Mayor
Travis de Jonk | Fri 9th Dec, 2011 in Local News
http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/7737/Melbourne-elects-Australias-first-intersex-Mayor.htm (http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/7737/Melbourne-elects-Australias-first-intersex-Mayor.htm)
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Melbourne has Australia's first openly intersex Mayor following the election of long time queer community supporter and advocate Councillor Tony Briffa to the top position at the City of Hobsons Bay at the end of November.
Not being associated with any particular political party, Tony Briffa is an independent councillor whose focus has remained on representing his community (where he has lived all his life), community diversity and environmental issues.