Common as Red Hair - Why this story is important

My name is Robbie Robertson, writer/director of “Common as Red Hair.” I’m kicking off this campaign to raise funding and awareness for a short film about people that were born intersex and the so-called “corrective surgeries” that many babies and young children have endured for the sake of being "normalized." I was amazed to learn that nearly 2% of babies are born intersex -the same percentage of children born with authentic red hair. These children have remained largely invisible due to stigma and shame but I hope my film helps erase those old messages and educates people about the harm that can come from unconsented, medically unnecessary, and harmful surgeries. 

I have already won many accolades for the screenplay of ”Common as Red Hair” in many contests and film festivals and was selected for two live readings of the script at the Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition and the Georgia Shortsfest in Atlanta. The script is told in a narrative fashion and deals with the aftermath of an emotional funeral that causes a grieving father and mother to reexamine their early life decision to have gender normalization surgery performed on their intersex infant.

It's my hope that this film will garner even more attention about this subject matter and inform people about intersex children and the many variants that come with that classification -- and that so-called gender normalization surgery should never be performed on children. 

I'm beyond thrilled to have the guidance and support of leading intersex advocate and author Kimberly Zeiselman, JD, who advised me on the film and is also serving as one of our producers. In addition, two of our leads in the film have been tentatively cast and will be played by Emmy-nominated actors Kassie DePavia (Evil Dead 2, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives) and Wally Kurth (Days of Our Lives, General Hospital). 

What We Need & What You Get

My goal is to raise $10,000 solely for the production costs of the film. I’ve thought a lot about perks and have seen them used successfully in other crowdsourcing platforms. However, because of the story we’re telling, I want to forego perks in this campaign, just so every single dollar raised can go strictly toward raising awareness about people who are born intersex, educating the public about the many ways in which people can be born intersex and the harmful effects of imposing surgery on babies and young children. Everyone who does donate, however, will be listed in the credits of my film -- and if you donate more than $100, you will be listed in The Producer's Club.  

The Impact

As I sat in the audience of my staged reading at the Austin Film Festival, I had so many questions from people about my script and they, like me, admitted they were unfamiliar with the meaning of intersex and that the script had opened their eyes and minds. I think this film will do much more to broaden the awareness and help people understand that being intersex is simply the way some people are born. It’s not a subjective subject.

With my day job background in public relations and marketing, I will be able to share this film with many critics, festivals, and other people who are gatekeepers to even wider audiences. It’s an easy subject to pitch to reporters and the short will have a monumental impact. I also have a successful track record with my creative projects on stage and on screen, and my last short, WHISTLER’S MOTHER, was the recipient of full production grant funding and went on to a successful festival run including Screamfest LA and the Philip K. Dick Supernatural Film Festival as well as being on Amazon Prime and YouTube where it has received nearly 250k views in its first year online. I am also a feature film screenwriter and have recently been optioned by DEAL Productions for my original comedic screenplay about ageism called JUST IN TIME.

I am very passionate about my creative work and leave no stone unturned to ensure it is seen by the widest audience possible.

Other Funding

I know that there is a lot of philanthropic fatigue in the world today, especially after the last two years of the pandemic. I also know that my passion is not always shared by as many people as would like. That said, I believe so very much in this project, and if I do not reach my goal, I will seek private donors as well as other film grant opportunities. And if you know someone who may be interested in this project, please share our page with them. When it comes to giving, I truly believe there is no such thing as a small gift -- so any amount will help

Other Ways You Can Help

Finally, I realize that many people are simply not in a position to help donate money for this campaign. So as I said above, please share our project on your social media accounts because you never know whose life may be touched by sharing this information. And if you like more information and resources about being intersex, contact InterAct Advocates for Intersex Youth at www.interactadvocates.org.