'Ponyboi': When Intersex Awareness Meets Pretty Woman

‘Ponyboi’ is a short film telling the story of Ponyboi, who works at a laundromat and doubles as a sexworker to earn some money. But Ponyboi has a dream. He longs to meet a man driving a Mustang. Someone who can take him to the pier and take care of him. Someone he can have a real connection with. And if this someone wears a cowboy hat and goes by the name of Bruce, the better.

The movie starts with Ponyboi's everyday life: his clients, the laundromat, his colleague and his colleague’s boyfriend. But as he cleans the shop, he notices a car parked outside. Could it be a Mustang? And could it be driven by an authentic cowboy?

‘Ponyboi’ mixes poetry and dreams with blank truth in a beautiful piece. The film was directed by River Gallo, non-binary actor, director and intersex activist, who also played Ponyboi’s role. You might also recognize them, as they have been part of Dani Coyle’s ‘Inter Face’ portraits series. Their activism has earned them the 2019 GLAAD Rising Star Grant and they have since then also appeared in the spin-off of ‘Love, Simon’ called ‘Love, Victor’.

You can watch ‘Ponyboi’ down below. But we will add a little TW here. Indeed, the movie briefly addresses the topic of medical violence on intersex children.