Biomedical Ethics
OII Australia’s Morgan Carpenter published in ABC’s The Drum regarding groundbreaking Australian Senate’s statement on medical treatment of intersex children
OII Australia President Morgan Carpenter’s essay, “It’s Time to Defend Intersex Rights”, explores why “normalizing” surgeries on intersex babies and children must end, and the recent Australian Senate report “Involuntary or coerced sterilization of intersex people in Australia”. Note, this groundbreaking report is based directly on submissions by OII Australia. To read more about the…
Read MoreOur submission to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
We thank the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their inclusion of intersex people in their Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on the Health and Health Research Needs, Specific Health Issues and Concerns for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Populations. You can read our submission here: NIH Submission
Read MoreEurope adopts historic resolution on children’s right to physical integrity!
The Council of Europe is an an international organization which focuses on promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe, and is comprised of 47 member nations. On October 1st, 2013, it adopted a resolution on the protection of children’s rights to physical integrity which included intersex people. The Council of Europe’s Resolution 1952, “Childen’s right…
Read MoreViloria in The Advocate on “Why We Need to Protect Intersex Babies”
We’re very pleased that The Advocate has shown a continuing interest in educating its many readers on intersex issues! The essay not only educates regarding the discrimination and harm involved in non-medically necessary cosmetic genital surgery and sex reassignment of intersex babies (a.k.a. “Intersex Genital Mutilation”/IGM), but helps people understand and make important decisions about…
Read MoreViloria live on BBC News Radio
OII-USA Director Hida Viloria was interviewed live on May 16th for BBC News Radio, regarding the groundbreaking lawsuit by the Crawford family for their intersex son, who was castrated at the age of 16 months, before they adopted him. The lawsuit is the 1st of its kind in the US, & we commend the lawyers…
Read MoreOII Australia’s AMAZING presentation at the Health in Difference Conference
By Morgan on 22 April 2013. Health in Difference is the major Australian conference on the health needs of LGBTI peoples, organised by the National LGBTI Health Alliance. We have never before seen such good inclusion of intersex issues at an LGBTI event, and we thank participants and congratulate the conference organisers for this, and also for the exceptional level…
Read MoreOII Australia Testifies on Involuntary Sterilization Before the Australian Senate!
This is AMAZINGLY groundbreaking, intelligent, and comprehensive testimony regarding involuntary sterilization of intersex infants is available for your reading pleasure. We cannot thank or congratulate OII Australia’s Gina Wilson, Morgan Carpenter and Tony Briffa enough — as well as the other presenters Y. Gavriel Ansara, Bonnie Hart, and Sandra Perrin — for their brilliant testomony…
Read MoreSwiss report acknowledges problems with infant surgery
Ground-breaking Swiss report on infant surgery, a review Earlier this month, the Swiss National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics published an opinion document: On the management of differences of sex development, Ethical issues relating to “intersexuality”. Copies are available via the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health in English: http://www.bag.admin.ch/nek-cne/04229/04232/index.html?lang=en. Here is OII Austrlaia’s brief review…
Read MorePetition on ending intersex female genital cutting in the US
We invite readers to sign this petition by Advocates for an Informed Choice in the US: Dear Secretary Clinton & Ambassador Verveer, February 6, 2013 marks the tenth annual International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). Cosmetic genital surgery is a practice of cutting girls so that they can fit cultural norms,…
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