Tuesday, March 1, 2016

NONE OF THE ABOVE by I.W. Gregorio

None of the Above
A great boyfriend, a track star with a college scholarship, and voted Homecoming Queen - Kristin Lattimer's life was going well.  A painful sexual experience with her boyfriend ended in a doctor's appointment that changed everything.

When a pelvic exam showed some abnormalities, the doctor ordered  further tests.  Her diagnosis was AIS - androgen insensitivity syndrome.  Kristin was suddenly being told she was intersexed.  She had no uterus, an underdeveloped vagina, and the worst news of all, small testicles in her lower belly. 

Kristin's world had fallen apart.  Her father dove into researching her condition just like he researched cancer treatment when her mother was diagnosed with cervical cancer years ago.  With her mother gone, Kristin had to rely on support from her father and her aunt, and she hoped her friends would understand. 

When she was voted Homecoming Queen, Kristin's best friend Vee was a poor loser.  The resulting jealousy caused Vee to spread the word about Kristin's physical condition.  It soon felt like everyone had turned against Kristin, including her boyfriend who broke things off and refused to even look at her.

With the help of a therapist and members of an AIS support group, Kristin learned she was not alone.  The road to acceptance would not be easy, but with time and adjustments, Kristin did have a normal life ahead of her.

Author and physician I.W. Gregorio takes on a difficult subject.  Misunderstood by many, intersex individuals find acceptance challenging, but a book like NONE OF THE ABOVE is sure to help readers understand this complicated issue. 

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