Intersex activists in Australia and New Zealand publish statement of priorities
Image: Photo: Phoebe Hart.
MORE聽than 20 intersex activists from around Australia and New Zealand came together last week in Sydney to issue the Darlington Statement, which outlines key priorities for the intersex community.
The statement prioritises legal reform to recognise bodily autonomy, effective rights-based oversight of clinical decisions, access to affirmative heath care, and peer support.
It reads: 鈥淐urrent forms of oversight of medical interventions affecting people born with variations of sex characteristics have proven to be inadequate.鈥�
The intersex community is calling for the respect of human rights and bodily autonomy, greater respect for diversity and identity, and effective protection from discrimination. The statement contains calls for action from government, clinical institutions, and LGBTI and other allies.
Morgan Carpenter, co-executive director of Organisation Intersex International Australia, said, 鈥淎mong those priorities, we seek a prohibition of unnecessary so-called 鈥檔ormalising鈥� surgeries, like that in the 2016 Family Court cases of .
鈥淲e need to make sure that such cases don鈥檛 happen again, and provide lifetime support for people dealing with the lifelong effects of what the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recognises to be harmful practices.鈥�
Bonnie Hart, president of AIS Support Group Australia, said, 鈥淭he coming together of so many different intersex people from around Australia and New Zealand is cause for celebration in and of itself. However, the penning of the Darlington Statement has made this intersex retreat absolutely historic.
鈥淭his statement is a powerful and directive message addressing the key issues currently affecting intersex people in our countries. By transparently outlining our common direction, the Darlington Statement has galvanised our community and the intersex movement generally.
鈥淚 feel so honoured to have been exposed to such insight and resilience and urge governments, health and social services to hear our voice and implement our demands.鈥�
Intersex people are born with physical or biological characteristics such as anatomy, hormones or chromosomes that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male and female bodies. Up to 1.7 per cent of people are born with such characteristics鈥攖he same proportion of people who have red hair.
Mani Mitchell, executive director of Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand, said, 鈥淭his movement has come so far. Proud to be part of this 鈥榬ed hair鈥� mob.鈥�
