Vagina MuseumMay 30, 2023

In 1843, an election in Salisbury, Connecticut was won by just one vote. The result proved controversial, because one of the voters was an intersex person. This is the story of Levi Suydam.

A blanket content warning applies to this thread about anti-intersex discrimination, body policing, and gender policing.

Show threadVagina MuseumMay 30, 2023
Levi Suydam was a 23 year old who presented himself to the town's selectmen - the electors - with the characteristics required to vote: he was a man, and he owned property. But due to his appearance, he wasn't permitted a vote unless he was subject to medical examinations.
Show threadVagina MuseumMay 30, 2023

Suydam was first examined, before the election, by Dr William Barry. Barry's examination found that Suydam had an imperforate penis, a scrotum and a testicle on one side. On this basis, he declared Suydam male.

However, a second doctor, who supported the opposing party objected. Dr Ticknor examined Suydam on election day. His findings corroborated Dr Barry's - he, too, agreed that Suydam was male.

Show threadRiley S. Faelan
@vagina_museum: In other words, Suydam was examined by the appellant's doctor on one side, and the respondent's doctor on the other side, and doctors of both sides insisted that the decision was obvious, only their obvious decisions were radically incompatible with each other.
May 30, 2023 at 11:39amWeb