intersex

I recently attended two events at The School of the Art Institute, both focused on intersex persons.  The first evening was a film, followed by a lecture presentation the next night. 

  XXY (2007), Directed by Lucía Puenzo and starring Ines Ephron as Alex. 

This film is extremely powerful as a direct result of simply being honest and unflinching.  It is the story of adolescence, of family, of honesty and the differences in how people deal with bullying.

In summary, the film centers on Alex - a 15 year-old intersex child, who has identified as a female.  She and her family live on the Ecuadorian seashore.  Her father is a biologist, rescuing endangered and wounded sea creatures.  One of the principal themes of the film is the presence of so many life forms.  Throughout human history, shore dwellers have encountered new creatures both living and dead, where the land meets the deep unknown. 

Alex's mother, Suli invites a surgeon, Ramiro, his wife Erika and their son Alvaro for a visit.  Suli has not told her husband Kraken that Ramiro is here to observe Alex.  He specializes in genital alteration surgery on intersex children.  It seems as if the two women might be friends of some sort and they are accompanied by their teen son.  She is interested in turning Alex into the daughter she wants to have.  Alex has been taking hormones to suppress the development of male puberty body changes.  Alex has stopped taking them.

Organisation Intersex International Position Statement on Genital Cutting

Intersex refers to atypical internal and/or external anatomical sexual characteristics, where features usually regarded as male or female may be mixed to some degree. This is a naturally occurring variation in humans. From the late 1950's onwards, starting in the USA, intersex infants and children were increasingly subject to cosmetic surgeries intended to ensure that their genital appearance and internal gonads conformed to that usually expected for their assigned gender. This also tended to entail hormone treatments aimed at conforming them to those associated with being "male" or "female."

From the early 1990’s to the present day, hundreds of intersex adults have come forward to say that they regard these medical practices as being extremely harmful to them, both physically and psychologically. Despite this high level of dissatisfaction, there has been little follow-up of adults who were treated this way as children, so without any clear understanding of outcomes, there is no real evidence upon which to justify this approach. On the contrary, the little evidence there is suggests that physiologically, functional outcome is poor. A study conducted in England of intersex people who electively chose to undergo such surgery as adults revealed that the large majority were dissatisfied; treatments resulted in physical pain and diminished sexual response, and were not able to provide them with the sense of normalcy which they hoped for.

There is no evidence that intersex variations alone will negatively impact the quality of life of the individuals who have them, nor that "normalizing" medical treatments are a solution. What evidence there is suggests the opposite; intersex adults who have not received unnecessary medical intervention have said they feel lucky to have "escaped" such treatments. They lack the psychological trauma from treatments imposed on others, and report satisfaction with their sexual response and their unique physical attributes. Such treatment is often justified from the assumption that intersex children and/or adults will be subjected to discriminatory behaviour because of their bodily differences; however, this is not necessarily correct, because their differences are sometimes only evident when naked, or not evident visually at all. Where differences are visible, this is no different than the situation of people from other minority groups. The solution to such challenges is not to alter the characteristics themselves, but to combat the prejudicial attitudes that stigmatise.

Cosmetic surgery on intersex genitals appears to harm intersex infants, children, and even adults, yet it still persists. As with male circumcision, it is often driven by parental desire to provide their children with bodies that conform to certain beliefs about how genitals should be. Also, the presumption that atypical sex anatomy will result in atypical sexual orientation and/or gender identity, homophobia and a fear of atypical gender presentation are seen by some intersex people as the motivation driving these surgeries. In many societies today, gender expression and sexual orientation are seen as a human right, and this is recognised by the UN. Performing unnecessary surgeries on infants and children in order to influence adult sexual orientation and/or gender identity outcomes should be seen as a human rights abuse. There is no evidence that sexual orientation or gender identity are affected by genital surgery one way or the other.

We seek recognition that all humans have the right to autonomy over their own bodies, including their genitals etc. Because infants and children are too young to assert their autonomy, they should not be subjected to unnecessary surgeries which may irrevocably harm them, and which they may not have chosen as adults. We recognise that cases requiring medical treatment for the maintenance of health or preservation of life should be managed as with any other situation where a child needs treatment. Intersex infants and children should be raised without cosmetic surgery and/or steroidal hormones until they are old enough to decide for themselves whether they wish to undergo these procedures and treatments or not.

We recommend avoidance of genital cutting, where possible, until a child can fully participate in decision making. This would be worked towards through communication between parents of intersex children, the children themselves, intersex adults, support groups, and clinicians who are sensitive to the needs of the child. Counselling should be available for those affected by the situation, to ensure they are fully informed and equipped to make the best decisions. Wider education about intersex as a human variation is also necessary; the cultural anxiety and social pressure that encourage surgery, hormone therapy and physical conformity need to be addressed. Through a process that includes education, communication, and counselling, then public shame will decrease, along with a reduction of cultural anxiety and social pressure, ultimately allowing people the liberty to maintain autonomy over their own bodies.

SAIC is presenting two events this week dealing with gender identity, one film and one lecture.  I spoke briefly with Quiana Carter at the SAIC about these events.  The come about as an extension of the school's commitment to addressing the topic of gender per discussions with by students and faculty.  These events are open to all, as the school is looking to create an open dialogue in exploring gender and society.

XXY
Monday, April 12, 6 p.m.
SAIC Auditorium, 280 S. Columbus Dr.
Free Screening

Directed by Lucía Puenzo, this 91-minute feature tackles issues facing 15 year-old Alex (Inés Efron), who was born an intersex child. XXY (2007) was Argentina's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2008 Academy Awards. Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs

Exs & Whys a presentation by Jen Pagonis
Tuesday, April 13, 6 p.m.
SAIC Auditorium, 280 S. Columbus Dr.
Free

A recent graduate of DePaul University and a member of the The Intersex Collective Speakers Bureau, Jen Pagonis received her degree in Women's and Gender Studies and completed her thesis on the topic of intersexuality. Her thesis presentation included original research and interviews with intersex activists from the San Francisco bay and Chicago areas. She is currently working on creating a peer led intersex youth and parent group in the Chicago area. Her appearance follows the screening of XXY on April 12 (see Films and Screenings). Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs

For more information, contact:

Quiana Burwell
Multicultural Affairs Assistant Director
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
36 S. Wabash Ave, Suite 1203 J2

Ph: 312.629-6868
Fax: 312.629.6801

1. We believe that the term ‘disorder of sex development’ (DSD) is not the best way to refer to intersex, intersex people or any medical issues they experience.
2. When an intersex person rejects an assignment made on their behalf at or near birth, or puberty, we do not regard them as having any sort of identity disorder, or gender incongruence.
3. When a person prefers to identify as intersex, and does not want to conform to any clear gender, we do not regard them as having any sort of identity disorder, or gender incongruence.
4. In situations where an individual rejects an earlier assignment made without their consent, we regard this as being due to an erroneous earlier assignment, and thereby any problems arising from that as iatrogenic rather than as a psychological disorder or incongruence. When no consent was sought from an individual, when it becomes possible for that person to exercise their choice to reverse such an error, this cannot be considered a disorder or incongruence.
5. We see no need to further medicalize and stigmatize intersex people by referring to them as necessarily disordered (DSD), and where mistakes in assignment have been made, we see no value in medicalizing and stigmatizing them further by applying another form of disorder called ‘gender incongruence’.
6. We ask that the same standards applied in the situation for homosexuality starting with the DSM-II revision be applied to intersex; we request that the DSM-V committee recognize that intersex and all intersex expressions of gender identity are part of normal human variation, and that treatment be confined to those genuine medical issues facing intersex people, and issues they themselves seek medical assistance with.
7. In the case of children where there is some doubt as to which gender assignment will offer the best outcome, once a decision has been made on their behalf, they should be dealt with in a sensitive and flexible way that will allow them to express their own preferences as they get older, and that should be managed in a way that can most effectively accommodate their own choices and decisions. With an awareness of the potentially disastrous consequences of altering children’s genitals surgically prior to an age when they can make informed consent, we call for the minimum of non-essential medical treatment and assignment relating to their gender role, presentation and sex characteristics, until they are in a position to decide upon an appropriate gender (or some other arrangement) for themselves.
8. To summarize: If an intersex child is assigned a gender without their consent, when they come to exercise their own choice for assignment, this cannot be considered a psychological disorder, or gender incongruence.

(Posted at Intersex in Australia)

Adopted at Socialist Alliance's 7th National Conference, January 2010

Intersex people are people born with physiological differences that may be seen as being both male and female at once, not wholly male or female or as neither male nor female.

Intersex people are subjected to discrimination in employment, in housing, in the provision of medical services, and the provision of government services.

There are no laws preventing discrimination against intersex people.

Intersex children may be subjected to non-consensual surgery so that their bodies conform to dominant ideas of what constitutes a ‘male’ or ‘female’ body. Non-consensual genital surgery is particularly controversial and where there is little debate against prohibitions on female circumcision, similar procedures on intersex people happen with little community comment.

The Socialist Alliance rejects pathologising definitions of intersex such as “disorders of sexual development”. The difficulty for Intersex is not differences in anatomy but rather how those differences are perceived by the community.

Social prejudice against non conforming bodies such as intersex, are the issues that needs attention. Intersex people should not be compelled to change their bodies, their behavior, or themselves to meet mainstream social expectations.

By Shanaaz Eggington [Times Live]

'I look like a man, I talk like a man, I am a man'

Underworld flabbergasted to discover 'Fat' Murphy is Intersex

On the drug-ravaged streets he's known as Fat Murphy. Feared by many, the burly suspected drug lord is clean-shaven and wears his second wife's name tattooed on his arm.

But the man who was banished from a crime-ridden suburb on the Cape Flats by furious residents protesting against alleged drug dealers has now been unmasked - as a hermaphrodite named Hilary.

Police and the underworld were shocked this week when Fadwaan "Fat" Murphy, 37, stood up in court to face charges of possession of stolen property, and declared under oath that he was born with both male and female sexual organs.

Police claim they discovered Murphy's "true" gender when a strap-on penis fell off while he was being searched during a raid at his Kuils River home two weeks ago.

A visibly upset Murphy was forced to discuss his gender during a bail application in the Blue Downs Magistrate's Court in Cape Town.

"I had a vagina that could not be penetrated. But I also had male organs, testes. But I always knew I was really a man and that was what I wanted to be," he told the court. A startled public gallery had to be told by court orderlies to keep quiet, as he dropped the bombshell.

I’ve seen many other blogs cover this new innovative study, but my friend sent me this via Popsci.com. My favorite line:

“Apparently men and women are not that different after all. In fact, the sexes are so similar that women have to fight their entire lives just to remain women — at least on the genetic level.” – Rebecca Boyle

We are still documenting the events that took place during the One Day One Struggle campaign and we wanted to inform you about a few updates.
 
Campaign updates including the seminar on the new Aceh law that violates Islam and women’s right to bodily autonomy in Indonesia. 

The launch of a campaign for the abolishment of a penal code article that discriminates against women’s right to control their own sexuality in Malaysia.

A queer-straight alliance meeting in Pakistan.
 
Campaign updates from Bangladesh include:

     The national launch of a pioneering research on sexuality and rights;

     A discussion on the place of sexuality and pleasure in the Koran,

     A panel and cultural show on what it means to be a hijra (transgender) in Bangladesh.
 
We hope this information is helpful and once again, thank you very much for your support!

Best, Iraz & Emre

BANGLADESH

A pioneering research on sexuality and rights in Bangladesh

The Center for Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS (CGSH) at the James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH) of BRAC University shared the findings of a pioneering research project on sexuality and rights in urban Bangladesh.  This exploratory study, the first of its kind, maps the manifold and changing understandings of sexuality, identity and rights among university students, factory workers, and sexual and gender minorities in Dhaka city.

By Ponni Arasu (mailponni@gmail.com)

First Published : 07 Nov 2009 [express buzz]

Ins Kromminga has been in Delhi for the past few days.  He/she was the guest artist at the Nigah Queer fest ‘09.  The fest, which has partially collaborated with the Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi for the past two years has had one artist from Germany every year.  Ins Kromminga is an artist and activist who works on a range of issues concerning intersex persons.  He/she is the German spokesperson for the Organisation of Intersex International.

I whisked him/her away for a while during the Nigah picnic, at Nehru park in Delhi, the closing event of the fest this year.  Below are Kromminga’s opinions on intersex persons’ issues and the role of art in the same.

What is “intersex”?

I will try and explain this complex aspect in as simple a form as possible.  It is a biological reality where a person’s body integrates parts that are usually considered to be “female” and “male”.  This can be at multiple levels.  It can be in the genetalia, chromosomes, and the genetic system on the whole and so on.  There are many variations in this continuum.  Medical signs has identified eight categories to determine any human being’s sex and all persons have to fit within these to make a clear cut call on a person’s gender.  And thus, presumably, most people will not fit perfectly within these minimalistic paradigms. 

Kelley Winters, Ph.D.
GID Reform Advocates
www.gidreform.org

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, is regarded as the medical and social definition of mental disorder throughout North America and strongly influences the The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD).  The current psychiatric classifications of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and Transvestic Fetishism (TF) in the Fourth Edition Text Revision of the DSM (DSM-IV-TR) inflict great harm to gender variant, and especially transsexual, people in three ways:

Unfair Social Stigma. The GID and TF diagnoses falsely label identities and expressions that differ from assigned birth sex as mental illness and sexual deviance. Behaviors and emotions considered ordinary or even exemplary for other (cisgender) people are mis-characterized as madness for gender variant people.  Transwomen (those who identify as women and were birth-assigned male) are consequently maligned as crazy and sexually suspect “men” by this stereotype and vice versa for transmen.  The defamatory classification of Transvestic Fetishism particularly targets transwomen, including a great many transsexual women (whose gender identities are dramatically incongruent with born physical sex characteristics), as "paraphiliac" or sexually perverse. 

Across North America, these diagnoses are cited directly when gender variant people are denied human dignitiy, civil justice, and legal recognition in their affirmed gender roles.  Gender variant people lose jobs, homes, families, access to public facilities, and even custody and visitation of children as consequences of these false stereotypes.