Intersex Issues

LSRHS GSA
Aug 31, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Nov 15, 2020

-CONTENT WARNING: anatomy, description of anti-intersex policies/behaviors/violence

-DISCLAIMER: I am not intersex nor am I an expert in biology, sex assignment, surgery, law, human rights, or any of the other specialties that will be touched upon. therefore, I am incapable of speaking from personal experience on this issue and my understanding and interpretation of certain topics may be flawed or incomplete. I encourage you to continue to look into the topics that will be covered to improve upon your own understanding.

-QUESTION for audience: how many of you have heard of the term intersex? what do you think it means to be intersex?

-image is of the intersex pride flag: rectangle with yellow background and purple ring in the middle

-QUESTION for audience: how many redheads do you personally know?

-link to learn more about micro-identities and conditions: https://isna.org/faq/conditions/

-Buzzfeed interview with four intersex people (played during panel): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAUDKEI4QKI

-image is of a cartoon baby (in black and white) in a onesie with a binky. there is a quote symbol at the top spoken by someone off-page saying “boy or girl?”. a thought bubble by the baby reads, as a response to the question, “I am a baby, I have no concept of gender. Now feed me or I’ll cry!”

-quote from source by Parens, pg 205

-guardians want to protect their kids by helping them fit in, however they end up sending the message that being intersex is bad and become their first bully rather than protecting them from discrimination or bullying.

-quote from source by Callahan, pg 155

-image is a close-up of Völling. she is smiling and wears glasses, a pink hat, a blue scarf, and a pink zipped-up jacket. she stands in front of a grassy field. the light blue sky has a couple white clouds.

-damages paid are the equivalent of $141,500

-image is of the entrance to Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital. the image was taken looking slightly upwards from the bottom right of the building. the building is a shiny copper color and is next door to an unidentifiable building. the lights are on and the sign above the entrance reads “Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago”.

-win is result of work by Intersex Justice Project

-Boston Children’s Hospital will not longer perform two types of intersex surgery on children as of 10/22/2020