River Gallo, Finding Their Own Voice and Creating Dynamic Intersex Narratives

River Gallo is a GLAAD award-winning Salvadoran-American filmmaker, actor, writer, model, and intersex activist. Growing up in New Jersey, River experienced the concept of hiding your true self at times for survival purposes. Particularly as a child of immigrants, living in a predominantly white area. They also had to hide their non-consensual operation as an intersex teen.

Beginning to find themselves in the arts, River’s dream led them to NYU and eventually to USC. This is where their thesis would become the first-ever intersex short film, Ponyboi. In creating the film they came to find that they were not alone.

Today, River is working to create representation and understanding of intersex people through film, television, and theatre. They are working on making Ponyboi a full-length feature with Ezra Miller and with interACT to fight for intersex human rights.