Uploaded April 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
7 April is World Health Day, and in 2018 Iranti is dedicated to highlighting the many health violations and social stigma faced by intersex persons across the region.
James Johnson was a rising star in the Nigerian football world, playing as a woman for years before being accepted into the women's national team. However, as an intersex person, James was soon sidelined from playing the sport he loved professionally.
Identifying as male, a sympathetic government minister assisted James, who identifies as male, to get the medical care he desired to live as himself, but this came at the cost of playing football. To this day he continues to fight for his right to play the sport he loves despite being intersex, and is one of countless activists working toward increased visibility for intersex Africans.
7 April is World Health Day, and in 2018 Iranti is dedicated to highlighting the many health violations and social stigma faced by intersex persons across the region.
James Johnson was a rising star in the Nigerian football world, playing as a woman for years before being accepted into the women's national team. However, as an intersex person, James was soon sidelined from playing the sport he loved professionally.
Identifying as male, a sympathetic government minister assisted James, who identifies as male, to get the medical care he desired to live as himself, but this came at the cost of playing football. To this day he continues to fight for his right to play the sport he loves despite being intersex, and is one of countless activists working toward increased visibility for intersex Africans.
