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Intersex Awareness Day

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Intersex Awareness Day
Observed byIntersexcommunity,LGBT communities& allies
TypeInternational
DateOctober 26[1]
Frequencyannual
First time2003
Related toIntersex Day of Remembrance- November 8
Intersextopics
Intersex flag
Human rightsandlegal issues
Medicineand biology
Society and culture
Historyand events
Rights by country
See also

Intersex Awareness Dayis aninternationally observedawareness dayeach October 26,[1]designed to highlighthuman rights issuesfaced byintersexpeople.[2]

History

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The event marks the first public demonstration by intersex people in North America, on October 26, 1996, outside the venue in Boston where theAmerican Academy of Pediatricswas holding its annual conference.[3][4]Intersex activistsMorgan HolmesandMax Beckparticipated for the (now-defunct)Intersex Society of North America,[5][1]alongside allies from Transsexual Menace includingRiki Wilchins.[5]Holmes has written that the event was intended not as a demonstration but as participation in the conference. She states that Beck and Holmes had intended to deliver an address, "on long-term outcomes and to challenge their still-prevailing opinion that cosmetic surgery to" fix "intersexed genitals was the best course of action", but were "met, officially, with hostility and were escorted out of the conference by security guards".[6][5]The group only later demonstrated, carrying a sign saying "Hermaphrodites With Attitude".[7]

The commemoration day itself began in 2003[1][8]with the establishment of a central awareness raising site byBetsy DriverandEmi Koyama.[1]A centralawareness raisingsite was later re-established in 2015 byMorgan Carpenterwith Laura Inter ofBrújula Intersexual,and support fromOpen Society Foundations.[9]

Observance

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Intersex Awareness Day is an international day of grass-roots action to endshame,secrecy and unwantedgenital cosmetic surgerieson intersex children.[3][10]The day also provides an opportunity for reflection[11][12]andpolitical action.[13]Between October 26 and November 8,intersex organizationsbring attention to the challengesintersexindividuals face, culminating in theIntersex Day of Remembrance[4]on November 8, the birthday ofHerculine Barbin,also sometimes known asIntersex Solidarity Day.[14][15][16]

Notable observances

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2013

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On Friday 25 October 2013, the day before Intersex Awareness Day that year, theAustralian Senatepublished a report on an inquiry titled theInvoluntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia.[17]On 11 November 2014, theNew South Wales Legislative Councilin Australia passed a motion marking Intersex Awareness Day and calling on the State government to "work with the Australian Government to implement the recommendations" of the 2013 Senate committee report.[13][18]

2014

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For Intersex Awareness Day 2014, the Senate of the German Land of Berlin issued a statement calling forself-determinationfor intersex people.[19]Also in 2014, the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, held a visibility event on intersex issues.[20]

2015

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In 2015, institutional events included the launch of an Intersex Human Rights Fund byAstraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice,[21]and a motion submitted toNew South Wales Legislative Assemblyin Australia by Greens MPJenny Leong.[22]A lawsuit was filed byDana Zzyymof theIntersex Campaign for Equality,withLambda Legal,suing theUnited States Department of Statefor legal gender recognition on their passport as nonbinary and intersex.[23][24]BuzzFeedreported that over 4.2 million people saw personal stories posted on social media in an action coordinated by activistPidgeon Pagonis.[25]

2016

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In 2016, theUnited Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rightslaunched an awareness website,[26]while UN experts, including theCommittee against Torture,theCommittee on the Rights of the Childand theCommittee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,along with the Council of EuropeCommissioner for Human Rights,theInter-American Commission on Human RightsandUnited Nations Special Rapporteurscalled for an urgent end to human rights violations against intersex persons, including in medical settings.[27][28]

Multiple governmental bodies made statements, alongside manycivil society organizations.[29][30][31]Official recognition included statements by theUnited States Department of State[32]andAustralian Human Rights Commission[33][34]also made statements, TheSouth Africangovernment acknowledged a need for action to prevent human rights violations,[35][36]and there was a first event inKenya.[37]

In June 2017, the State Department statement was cited in a policy paper byJoycelyn Elders,David Satcher,andRichard Carmona,three formerSurgeons General of the United States,calling for a rethink of early genital surgeries on children with intersex traits.[38][39][40]

2017

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Australians held an intersex awareness day event in their national parliament.[41]The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement for Intersex Awareness Day, 21 years after a demonstration outside its conference that is now marked by the Day.[42]TheState Departmentissued a statement recognizing violence of forced medical practices.[43][44]

2018

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In 2018,OII Europe,ILGA-Europeand the European Parents' Association published a multilingual guide to parenting intersex children.[45]US advocates wrote about proposals to define gender strictly in accordance with genitalia observed at birth.[46]This was accompanied by news reports on children who have not undergoneintersex medical interventions.[47]Australian intersex organizations held parliamentary meetings, and awarded the 'Darling Award' to theNational LGBTI Health Allianceto recognize work beyond affirmation of the Darlington Statement, a regional community declaration.[48][49]

2019

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  • On October 25, the intersex flag was raised at London City Hall, Ontario, Canada for the first time ever.[50][51]
  • The spire of Arts Centre in Melbourne was colored in colors of intersex flag, to celebrate the day.[52]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefDriver, Betsy(14 October 2015)."The origins of Intersex Awareness Day".Intersex Day.Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2015.Retrieved2015-10-24.
  2. ^"Intersex Awareness Day".Archivedfrom the original on 26 July 2011.Retrieved11 October2012.
  3. ^ab"Intersex Awareness Day, 2013".Organisation Intersex International Australia.26 October 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 21 December 2013.Retrieved25 December2013.
  4. ^ab"The 14 days of intersex".Star Observer.25 October 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 22 June 2012.Retrieved11 October2012.
  5. ^abcHolmes, Morgan(17 October 2015)."When Max Beck and Morgan Holmes went to Boston".Intersex Day.Archivedfrom the original on 20 October 2015.Retrieved2015-10-24.
  6. ^Holmes, Morgan(2006). "Deciding fate or protecting a developing autonomy? Intersex children and the Colombian Constitutional Court".Transgender Rights.Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press. pp. 32–50.
  7. ^Beck, Max."Hermaphrodites with Attitude Take to the Streets".Intersex Society of North America.Archived fromthe originalon 2015-10-05.Retrieved2015-10-24.
  8. ^Mitchell, Mani(October 21, 2015)."International Intersex Awareness Day 2015".Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2015.Retrieved2015-10-24.
  9. ^Carpenter, Morgan(3 November 2015)."About Intersex Day; evaluating the project".Intersex Day.Archivedfrom the original on 8 December 2015.Retrieved2015-12-05.
  10. ^"Celebrate Intersex Awareness Day: October 26, 2004".Egale Canada. Archived fromthe originalon 24 July 2018.Retrieved11 October2012.
  11. ^"So, It's Intersex Awareness Day and What Have We Done?".The Interface Project.Archived fromthe originalon 12 December 2014.Retrieved12 December2014.
  12. ^"Why Intersex Awareness Day is important".Star Observer.24 October 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 1 December 2014.Retrieved12 December2014.
  13. ^ab"Legislative Council, Minutes Of Proceedings, No. 16, Tuesday 11 November 2014".New South Wales Legislative Council.Archivedfrom the original on 11 November 2014.Retrieved12 December2014.
  14. ^"Intersex: Myths and Realities".Transfaith Online.Archivedfrom the original on 26 December 2013.Retrieved11 October2012.
  15. ^"GUEST POST: October 26 is Intersex Awareness Day".GLAAD.26 October 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 27 December 2013.
  16. ^"Am 8. November ist Inter*sex Solidarity Day".IVIM/OII Germany(in German). 26 October 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 26 December 2013.
  17. ^Australian Senate(25 October 2013)."Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia".Archivedfrom the original on 23 September 2015.
  18. ^"NSW Legislative Council motion marking Intersex Awareness Day, 2014".Organisation Intersex International Australia.11 November 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 11 November 2014.Retrieved11 November2014.
  19. ^Senate of the Land of Berlin, Germany (24 October 2014)."Intersex Awareness Day: Senat fördert Angebote für intergeschlechtliche Menschen"(in German).Archivedfrom the original on 4 November 2014.
  20. ^Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, Distrito Federal (October 2014)."Forum:" Inter visibilidad, Visibility intersex "".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-11-04.
  21. ^Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (October 25, 2015),Astraea Launches the World's First Intersex Human Rights Fund,archived fromthe originalon December 8, 2015,retrievedDecember 5,2015
  22. ^Intersex Day (26 October 2015)."Motion introduced into NSW State Parliament".Intersex Day.Archivedfrom the original on 8 December 2015.Retrieved2015-12-05.
  23. ^Lambda Legal(October 26, 2015)."Lambda Legal Sues U.S. State Department on Behalf of Intersex Citizen Denied Passport".Archivedfrom the original on February 21, 2017.
  24. ^Rein, Lisa (October 27, 2015)."Intersex applicants face passport discrimination, says lawsuit seeking option other than 'M' or 'F'".Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2015.
  25. ^Karlan, Sarah (October 28, 2015)."People Took To Twitter To Share Their Deeply Personal #IntersexStories".Buzzfeed.Archivedfrom the original on May 13, 2017.
  26. ^"United Nations for Intersex Awareness".October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-11-12.
  27. ^Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights(October 24, 2016),End violence and harmful medical practices on intersex children and adults, UN and regional experts urge,archivedfrom the original on November 21, 2016
  28. ^Radcliffe, Charles (October 24, 2016)."Intersex Ed at the UN".The Huffington Post.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2016.Retrieved2016-10-26.
  29. ^"Intersex Day".October 2016.
  30. ^"Intersex Awareness Day".Interact Advocates for Intersex Youth.October 26, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2016.
  31. ^"Intersex Awareness Day news round-up".Organisation Intersex International Australia.October 29, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2016.
  32. ^Department Of State(October 26, 2016)."In Recognition of Intersex Awareness Day".
  33. ^Santow, Ed (October 26, 2016)."Intersex rights are human rights".Australian Human Rights Commission.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2016.
  34. ^Wade, Matthew (2016-10-26)."The importance of ending harmful surgeries on intersex children in Australia".Star Observer.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-10-27.Retrieved2016-10-26.
  35. ^"Iranti.org: South Africa and the rights of intersex children".Intersex Day.October 26, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2016.
  36. ^Collison, Carl (October 27, 2016)."SA joins the global fight to stop unnecessary genital surgery on intersex babies".Mail & Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2016.
  37. ^"Nairobi, Kenya: walk for recognition".Intersex Day.October 21, 2016.Retrieved2020-10-26.
  38. ^Elders, M Joycelyn;Satcher, David;Carmona, Richard(June 2017)."Re-Thinking Genital Surgeries on Intersex Infants"(PDF).Palm Center.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2017-07-28.
  39. ^Weiss, Suzannah (June 30, 2017)."These Doctors Want Us To Stop Pathologizing Intersex People".Refinery29.Archived fromthe originalon July 1, 2017.Retrieved2020-10-26.
  40. ^Power, Shannon (June 29, 2017)."'Stunning victory' as US Surgeons General call for an end to intersex surgery ".Gay Star News.Archived fromthe originalon July 12, 2017.Retrieved2020-10-26.
  41. ^"Parliamentary Friendship Group breakfast for Intersex Awareness Day".Intersex Human Rights Australia.October 11, 2017.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  42. ^"American Academy of Pediatrics statement on Intersex Awareness Day".Intersex Day.October 27, 2017.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  43. ^"US State Department message of solidarity".Intersex Day.October 27, 2017.Retrieved2018-11-17.
  44. ^Nauert, Heather (October 26, 2017)."In Recognition of Intersex Awareness Day".U.S. Department of State.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  45. ^OII Europe; IGLYO; European Parents' Association (October 26, 2018),Supporting your intersex child - A parents' toolkit,retrieved2018-11-16
  46. ^Weigel, Alicia Roth (October 23, 2018)."Intersex, and Erased Again".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  47. ^Compton, Julie (October 24, 2018)."'You can't undo surgery': More parents of intersex babies are rejecting operations ".NBC News.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  48. ^Wade, Matthew (October 26, 2018)."Intersex allies in Australia recognised with 'Darling Award'".Star Observer.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  49. ^Intersex Human Rights Australia (October 26, 2018)."Intersex Awareness Day, 2018".Intersex Human Rights Australia.Retrieved2018-11-16.
  50. ^"Intersex flag at City Hall celebrates milestones".theinterrobang.ca.Retrieved2021-09-15.
  51. ^"How this Ontario organization is raising awareness of intersex rights".TVO.org.Retrieved2021-09-15.
  52. ^Arcuri, Dean (2019-10-26)."Arts Centre Melbourne spire lights up for Intersex Awareness Day".Star Observer.Retrieved2021-09-15.
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