Five Myths that Hurt Intersex People

Intersex people are often shunned, shamed and made to feel invisible in a society that only thinks of sex as being solely male or female. The Intersex Roadshow compiled a list of common myths.

Myth 1: Intersex people all have intermediate genitalia

Myth 2: Intersex conditions are always diagnosed in infancy

Myth 3: All infant sex-assignment surgery is aimed at creating “female” genitalia

Myth 4: Intersex people should be genderqueer

Myth 5: “Real” intersex people are not genderqueer

Check out the link above for stories and accurate information countering these myths.

Blog Spotlight: Full Frontal Activism - Intersexed and Awesome

Full Frontal Activism: Intersexed and Awesome is a blog written by a 25 year old intersex activist who seeks to create awareness about the intersex community, people and issues.

Word of the Gay: "Intersex Surgery"

"Intersex Surgery" is a medical procedure to correct so called birth defects of people with ambiguous genitalia by the medical establishment.

Diversity Lesson 101: Queer

Queer is a complicated and "radical" term that has been used disparagingly, an outside of the binary way of self-identifying, and an umbrella term to describe sexual/gender minorities.

Queer Historically Seen as an Insult:
The word Queer has typically and historically been used as an insult to gay men and lesbians, it is considered a synonym to "strange", "unusual", and "different" and has been on par with hateful rhetoric such as "faggot", "dyke", "shemale", and "he/she".

Reclamation of the Term by Sexual Liberation Movement:

The term has been reclaimed by sexual/gender minorities to be an umbrella term for people who are different from the heterosexual "norm", this term now encompasses those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Asexual, and Intersexual.

Queer as a Sexual/Gender Identity:

Queer is also a way for people to self-identify with regards to their sexual orientation or gender identity. People who are Queer may feel that sexuality is not just black or white but falls into shades of gray. They do not box themselves into categories such as gay, lesbian, or straight but see sexuality as lying on a continuum with varying degrees. Queer people often describe their sexual orientation as being "pansexual" and are open to males, females, transgender, and intersexual people. Hence, Queer as a sexual orientation is different than "bisexuality" which conveys an attraction to males and females and works within the gender binary system. Sexuality for many Queer identified people is seen as fluid and changes throughout their lifespan. Their interests, passions, and behaviors change with them as they grow as individuals.

Many Queer people also do not box themselves into the gender binary system of male or female. They feel that they are genderqueer and have masculine and feminine aspects to their personality and choose to embrace their gender identity/expression in various ways.

Word of the Gay: "5-Alpha-Reductase Deficiency"

"5-alpha-reductase deficiency" is an intersex condition where individuals have testes, as well as vagina and labia, but with a small penis capable of ejaculation instead of a clitoris. Come puberty the testes descend the voice deepens, limited facial hair occurs, and they often develop a male sexual identity.

Transgender - What Does it Mean?

The following is a great video explaining what it means to be transgender and covering many terms related to the gender-variant community. Great resource, for trans people and allies.

Please copy the html code at the bottom and post to myspace or your site/blog and beyond so we can educate people about trans-folk.
<object width="400" height="330"><param name="movie" value="http://www.videojug.com/player?type=interview&id=ec835c2c-64e3-5a2e-1e9e-ff0008ca4cbe"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed src="http://www.videojug.com/player?type=interview&id=ec835c2c-64e3-5a2e-1e9e-ff0008ca4cbe" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="400" height="330"/></embed></object><br/><a href="http://www.videojug.com">VideoJug</a>: <a href="http://www.videojug.com/interview/transgender-what-does-it-mean">Transgender: What Does It Mean?</a>

"The Missing Vagina Monologue"

In response to an earlier entry calling for V-Day to discuss the "Missing Vagina Monologue" for intersex people, Esther Morris Leidolf emailed me her segment on gender vision about MRKH. It is a beautiful description of her experience, and how people in the medical community need to reconsider their understanding of people who are intersex.

Word of the Gay: "Aphallia"

"Aphallia" is a medical term used to describe some intersex people who do not have a penis or clitoris.

Australian Government Urged to Consider Intersex Classification

The Australian government is being urged to consider altering their forms to be inclusive of intersex people.

"Australia's human rights office is pushing the federal government to allow some people to classify themselves as a third gender, intersex, for legal documents and procedures.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission issued a paper titled "Sex Files -- The Legal Recognition of Sex: Proposed Reform" to transgender advocates across the country. The paper proposes the third gender classification to be included on legal documents such as drivers licenses and passports. The report was released in September, according to the agency's website, but the news media were not made aware of it until last week, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Sex and Gender Education Australia, a transgender advocacy group, says forms should include "other" as a fourth option, allowing some not to identify as any sex.

The paper defines intersex as people who "cannot or do not identify as either male or female" and choose to be "identified on their birth certificate and passport as intersex." Additionally, those who cannot or choose not to have gender reassignment surgery would "not be automatically ineligible to request a change in their legal sex." (Advocate).

For detailed information on the proposal by the Human Rights Commission click here for their post on "sex files".

Also, join us in contacting officials of the Parliament of Australia to act to ensure that intersex people are recognized by the government.

Click here to email the Prime Minister and here to email select representatives of the federal government.

Mapping Gender Neutral/Unisex Restrooms

Transgender, Genderqueer, and Intersexual folks often face difficult decisions when it comes to something as simple as going to the restroom. They face the reality of being attacked, discriminated against, arrested, or feeling very uncomfortable when choosing a bathroom that is specified for a specific gender.

Now, thanks to the Safe2Pee Resource, gender variant people can find gender neutral/unisex bathrooms around the world. You can also add any bathrooms to the database that would be suitable.

"The goal of the project is to create a resource where people who do not feel comfortable with traditional public restrooms can find safe alternatives, and to support advocacy and research to further the cause of gender free, inclusive bathrooms."

Word of the Gay: "Ovotestis"

An "ovotestis" is a gonad with both testicular and ovarian aspects. This is one of the several possible intersex variances that can occur within the sex spectrum.

Celebrate Intersex Awareness Day!

Oct 26th marks the 5th annual celebrate intersexual awareness day! Today is the (inter)national day of grass-roots action to end shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.

What is intersex?
Intersex refers to a series of medical conditions in which a child's genetic sex (chromosomes) and phenotypic sex (genital appearance) do not match, or are somehow different from the "standard" male or female. About one in 2,000 babies are born visibly intersexed, while some others are detected later. The current medical protocol calls for the surgical "reconstruction" of these different but healthy bodies to make them "normal," but this practice has become increasingly controversial as adults who went through the treatment report being physically, emotionally, and sexually harmed by such procedures.

Beside stopping cosmetic genital surgeries, what are intersex activists working toward?
Surgery is just part of a larger pattern of how intersex children are treated; it is also important to stop shame, secrecy and isolation that are socially and medically imposed on children born with intersex conditions under the theory that the child is better off it they didn't hear anything about it. Therefore, it's not enough to simply stop the surgery; we need to replace it with social and psychological support as well as open and honest communication.

What's so significant about October 26?
On October 26, 1996, intersex activists from Intersex Society of North America (carrying the sign "Hermaphrodites With Attitude") and our allies from Transexual Menace held the first public intersex demonstration in Boston, where American Academy of Pediatrics was holding its annual conference. The action generated a lot of press coverage, and made it difficult for the medical community to continue to neglect our growing movement. That said, events related to Intersex Awareness Day can take place throughout October and does not necessarily have to be on the 26th.

Ideas for Action:

Pamphlets for organizing intersex awareness day.

Click here to print out some articles to leaflet on intersexuality

Get some friends together and rally/demonstrate in front of a hospital or medical school demanding an end to genital mutilation!

Show a film or invite a guest speaker to speak about IS issues.

Please click the link for more info on Intersex Awareness Day.

"I'm 80% Girl, 20% Boy" - Intersex Documentary

One of our readers kindly emailed to let me know they were doing a documentary on an intersex person named Adele.

Maxx Ginnane (Director) emailed me with this:
"I am now making a full length film about intersex, including the stories of what is happening to the babies born visibly intersex and gender variant children as they grow up and approach puberty. There's currently still a debate in the medical community about how these young people should be treated. I'm seeking the input of doctors, parents, and of course, other intersex people in this project. If you would like to get in touch, my address is palya@hotmail.com"

Below is a clip of the film and a little bit of info about the documentary:

When Adele was born they couldn't tell if she was a girl or a boy. A series of childhood genital operations 'corrected' her into a boy but as she grew up it became apparent a mistake had been made. Now at 29 Adele is trying to transition into a woman, only to find she belongs somewhere in between. 1 in 2000 babies are born like Adele and she asks if it isn't time to make room in our society for more than two genders.

Word of the Gay: "Hypospadias"

"Hypospadias" can occur to some intersex people and is when an opening occurs at any given section along the penis as opposed to the average penis opening at the tip of the glans. The opening faces downward forcing the flow of secretions towards the feet.

Colombia Grants Rights to Intersex Kids

Colombia's constitutional court has made a historic and key decision with regards to intersex rights. The court ruled that a five year old born with both male and female parts, has the right to choose their own gender. The parents fought the court wanting to genitally mutilate the child and force the child to live as a boy.

The text of the courts decision is available in English and Spanish at Intersex Society of North America

Web Spotlight: Kallmann's Syndrome Society

One of our readers Nick has decided to create a social network for intersex people with Kallmann's Syndrome. It is a new website but offers a great opportunity for people with hypothalamic hypogonadism to connect, meet online, and discuss issues affecting the community.

http://kallmannssyndromesociety.ning.com/

Intersex Information & Resources

"Wikipedia defines intersexuality as “a state of a living thing (where) sex chromosomes, genitalia, and/or secondary sex characteristics are determined to be neither exclusively male nor female. An organism with intersex may have biological characteristics of both the male and female sexes. Intersexuality is the term… applied to human beings who cannot be classified as either male or female. Intersexuality is also the word adopted by the identitiary-political movement, to criticize medical protocols in sex assignment and to claim the right to be heard in the construction of a new one.”

Online resources for intersexed persons include:

The Accord Alliance works to promote comprehensive and integrated approaches to care that enhance the health and well-being of people and families affected by disorders in sexual development (DSD) by fostering collaboration among all stakeholders. The Accord Alliance’s work is based on a consensus for a new paradigm of healthcare for people diagnosed with intersex conditions developed by 50 international experts and patient advocates in 2006.

OII–USA is the United States affiliate of the Organisation Intersex International, a non-profit organization incorporated in the Province of Quebec, Canada. OII is one the largest intersex organizations in the world with members representing almost all known intersex variations. It has members in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. OII–USA works for intersex visibility, opposes genital mutilation, medicalization and normalization without consent, and provides a forum on intersex lives and experience that highlights the richness and diversity of intersex identities and culture.

The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) works to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries for people born with an anatomy that someone decided is not standard for male or female.

The MRKH Organization, Inc., supports women with Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser Syndrome. MRKH is also known as Mullerian Agenesis, Vaginal Agensis, and Congenital Absense of Vagina.

Intersextions Cafe offers user forums on intersex topics.

XXwhy.com is a blog with collection of articles, on Klinefelter Syndrome, a term used to describe males who have an extra X chromosome in most of their cells. Instead of having the usual XY chromosome pattern that most males have, these men have an XXY pattern.

XYTurners is a website with a forum and articles on XY/XO mosaicism.

Do you know of another resource on intersex issues? Post a comment and tell us about it."

Crossposted via LifeonQ

Word of the Gay: "Swyer Syndrome"

"Swyer Syndrome" is an intersex condition where an otherwise fully functioning female has XY chromosomes and cannot reach puberty because they do not have functional sex glands present. The individual can opt for hormones to help induce puberty.

Intersex People - The Missing Vagina Monologue

The Vagina Monologues is a hugely successful account of women's lives and advocates for gender equality. Eve Ensler the creator of the play went on to found V-Day an organization committed to ending violence against women.

The organization has made a tremendous impact on women's lives including lesbian and trans-women but has failed to accurately include Intersex people in their accounts.

Please politely contact V-Day and ask them to include Intersex people in their awareness campaigns. In addition please tell them that childhood genital mutilation of intersex babies is wrong and must be considered an unethical and violent choice by the medical establishment.

Contact V-Day!

In the meantime check out this clip from Gendervision.

Word of the Gay: "Micropenis"

"Micropenis" is a medical term used to describe a considerably smaller than average penis size. The term is used in describing some intersex people.