Pink on intersex and stalking

The story on babies born without a clearly identifiable sex, featured in last month's edition of Pink, has spurred a mother to come forward and speak out.

When her baby was born with ambiguous genitalia 10 years ago, she was thrown into a dark abyss of loneliness, yearning to speak to other mothers in the same predicament. Emboldened by the article, she tells Pink, which comes out with The Times tomorrow, about the need to rip the veil of silence around intersexuality and set up the first self-help group.

In Malta, one baby a year is born with ambiguous genitalia, throwing parents into a quandary as to the sex of their child and how to bring it up. The victim of the condition known as intersex (or hermaphrodite) is also plunged into a state of confusion, mental and emotional torment.

Apart from a deeper look into the intersexuality issue, on which several letters have been written to the editors, Pink also digs into stalking - again shrouded in a lack of awareness, which may be the cause of a considerable degree of under-reporting and, as a result, the risk that the crime is buried in silence.

A first-hand account and further research reveal that an educational campaign on a national level is necessary, that awareness needs to be raised within schools and that people should know that a law now exists to protect them.

Pink's 31st edition has also been inspired by the celebration of Mother's Day and has been impregnated with useful information for mums-to-be, or those who are considering having a baby. It separates the facts from the fiction in an attempt to clear women's minds, often confused by a barrage of - sometimes conflicting - information, as well as providing a list of the publications every expectant mother should read and clarifying how far pregnant women should go to remain fit.

The magazine also contains its monthly dose of horoscopes, humour, health and fashion, with a wide selection of swimwear featured in its photo shoot, as well as trends and accessories in the form of the latest look for sunglasses.

Pink is published by Allied Newspapers Ltd, printed by Progress Press Ltd and produced by Mediamaker. It is edited by The Times journalists Fiona Galea Debono and Ariadne Massa and designed by Helen Cassar Torreggiani and Joseph Schembri.