Sean Saifa Wall is an intersex activist, visual artist and public health researcher. His research interests started at Williams College where he was selected as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. Since then, he has worked in different capacities on a number of research projects that centre Black, queer and transgender populations. His recent collaborative projects include a chapter on Black U.S. Sexual and Gender Minority Health in the Oxford Handbook of Sexual and Gender Minority Health and a report submitted to the Open Society Foundations on intersex activism in the Global South. https://www.superrolexreplica.co/
*Photo credit: Harry Daniels ATL
Saifa commenced his 36-month Marie Skłodowska Curie fellowship at University of Huddersfield in the U.K. in September 2020. Saifa successfully defended his PhD on March 5, 2024.
Dissemination Activities:
1 February 2024: Expanding intersex studies, Brussels, Belgium
For more information about this final INIA conference and programme: https://intersexnew.co.uk/expanding-intersex-studies/
ESR2 Sean Saifa Wall with Surya Monro and Kate Wood gave a presentation titled: Intersex equality, diversity and inclusion and social policy: Silences, absences, and erasures in Ireland and the UK
February 20-23, 2023: Centring Intersex Issues: Global and Local Dimensions
The INIA project led to the development of a large consortium who together organised an international online conference titled Centring Intersex Issues: Global and Local Dimensions (20-23 February 2023, led by University of Huddersfield. This intervention was in addition to the commitments made in the INIA GA and provided substantial added value. The conference was established to facilitate the ongoing development of an international network of scholars, students, and stakeholders with an interest in supporting intersex people’s equality, wellbeing, and social and economic success.
Sean Saifa Wall was a panelist for the conference attended by academics, intersex scholars and intersex activists. More information available here: https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cacs/research-areas/intersex-studies/intersex-studies-conference/
26 January 2023: Advancing the Human Rights of Intersex People conference
On 26 January 2023 a number of INIA colleagues spoke at the Advancing the Human Rights of Intersex People conference’ that took place in Strasbourg and online. This conference, organised by the SOGI Unit in Co-operation with the Permanent Representation of Iceland to the Council of Europe, was an important opportunity for us to present findings from the INIA project and to hear from key stakeholders. Sean Saifa Wall spoke together with Surya Monro on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion frameworks and policy making, whilst Ernesto Zelayandia presented on Intersex people’s access to justice and reparations, and Tanya Ni Mhuirthile gave a talk on preventing and combatting discrimination and stigmatisation on sex characteristics.
21 September 2022: PSI International Panel Presentation
The panel “looks into the role that psychology has or can have in the policymaking process”. Co-presented with Rebecca Crowther at Equality Network. The title of the presentation was, “How can psychology and psychosocial wellbeing be informed by social policy and care that is developing to be inclusive and cognisant of I/VSC people and their experiences?”
https://www.psiinternational.net/events/45b140eb-75f3-47cb-8a97-f4156f3ad9ac
Outreach Activities:
13 December 2022: Intersex Education with National Union of Journalists LGBT+ Network
ESR Sean Saifa Wall along with INIA partner Jennie Kermode participated in this event attended by journalists from within the United Kingdom.
24 November 2022: All Ireland LGBT+ Heath Symposium
ESR2 Sean Saifa Wall presented some of his findings from the Ireland research conducted during his secondments.
This one day symposium included contemporary original research, expert commentary and practice innovation related to the health and healthcare practices focused on LGBT+ individuals and communities.
The symposium was hosted by the Centre for Indisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems (IRIS) at UCD School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems and is funded by UCD Seed Funding for Equality Diversity and Inclusion. A schedule for the event is provided here.
15 November 2022: Bioethics in Film Series “Intersection”
Sean Saifa Wall was a panelist for this event attended by 90+ online academics, medical students, Columbia faculty and staff. More information here: https://www.mhe.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/intersexion-investigating-medicalization-gender-and-sex-0
28 September 2022: NYC Mayoral Appointment
26 September 2022: Stakeholder Event at University of Malta, Valletta Campus
During the sixth INIA network event held at University of Malta, Valletta, INIA PIs and ESRs participated in a stakeholder conference. This was a very successful event attended by approximately 40 people from the University of Malta and from the Maltese government. The programme for the event can be found here.
25 June 2022: Pride in Education conference
A conference for LGBTQ+ allies in education. ESR2 Sean Saifa Wall gave the presentation “Cultivating Allyship through Intersex Education.”
The conference website can be consulted here: https://www.prideineducation.co.uk
6 April 2022: Joint activity with the MagnEFi ITN
During a joint outreach activity with the MSCA ITN MagnEFi (860060), Sean Saifa Wall gave a presentation on the topic of intersex erasure in Ireland and England.
25 February 2022: Understanding Intersex (part of the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Teaching Partnership Masterclass 2022)
Saifa gave a presentation on intersex issues for social work providers to social work students and practitioners during this event.