In this episode of the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast, host Meredyth Willits sits down with Jackie Blankenship, crowned Mrs. America 2022 and one of the boldest voices bringing awareness to what it means to be born intersex. Diagnosed with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS), Jackie was born with XY chromosomes, but her body developed female because it couldn't respond to testosterone.
From growing up in silence to becoming a national pageant winner and social media educator, Jackie is turning curiosity into compassion and science into storytelling. This conversation sheds light on the gray areas of gender, identity, biology, and why representation matters more than ever.
Together, they unpack:
✅ What CAIS is and how it affects the body
✅ Why Jackie's natural hormone production came from internal testes
✅ The pressure to keep her diagnosis secret and the emotional toll
✅ How surgery, shame, and misinformation shaped her early life
✅ Her decision to speak out and use pageantry as a platform
Jackie also opens up about…
✨ Why removing her testes at 15 forced her into early menopause
✨ The trauma older generations with CAIS still carry
✨ How TikTok gave her the power to educate, advocate, and relate
✨ Her journey to motherhood through donor eggs and surrogacy
✨ The importance of accurate representation beyond extremes
Whether you've never heard of intersex before or you've been afraid to ask questions, this episode invites you to learn, listen, and expand your understanding of what it really means to live in the in-between. Jackie shows us that being different isn't something to fix, it's something to embrace.
00:00 Welcome to the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast. Meet Jackie Blankenship
00:45 Diagnosed with CAIS at age 4 and born with XY chromosomes
03:00 Why her body developed female and the role of testosterone
05:30 Family history, generational trauma, and medical decisions
08:15 Undergoing surgery at 15 and forced into early menopause
11:20 Discovering the estrogen conversion process in her body
13:00 Secrets, silence, and being told to keep it private
15:30 Dating, disclosure, and why friendship came first
18:00 How she told her now-husband and built a family
20:00 Pageantry and using Mrs. America as a platform
22:30 Reactions from fellow contestants and production
25:00 Being hyper-feminine doesn't make you more valid
27:30 TikTok virality and her signature "Let's talk about it" videos
30:00 Why representation matters for ALL intersex people
33:00 The science of gender, testosterone, and chromosome variations
35:30 Children's books, education, and raising her daughter
38:00 The real dangers of politicizing identity and erasing stories
41:00 Advocating without shame and speaking for the unheard
43:00 Book bans, inclusion, and letting kids see themselves
46:00 The 40+ variations of intersex most people never hear about
48:00 Her message to parents, teachers, and listeners everywhere
50:00 Final thoughts. Belonging, biology, and building a more compassionate world
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com