Aims of the AIS Support Group Australia:
·
To put parents and
people with AIS and other intersex conditions in touch with each other in a safe
and confidential environment and encourage them to seek support and information.
·
To reduce the secrecy,
stigma and taboo surrounding AIS and other intersex states, by encouraging
doctors, parents and society to be more open.
·
To encourage the
provision of psychological support within the medical system, for young people
with AIS, other intersex conditions, and their parents.
·
To put parents and
people with AIS and other intersex conditions in touch with others and to
encourage them to seek support and information.
·
To increase the
availability of information on AIS and other intersex conditions both verbal
(from health professionals) and written (from the support group and other
sources).
·
To encourage
improvements in the treatment for men and women with AIS and other intersex
conditions in both surgical and non-surgical means.
·
To encourage research
into Gender and Sexual Identity issues.
Policy Statements of the AIS Support Group
Australia:
·
That the AIS Support
Group Australia supports calls for a
moratorium on non-urgent medical intervention. This includes gonadectomies
on children with AIS and clitoral recession.
·
That the medical
profession make every possible effort to overcome the effects of past treatments now considered inappropriate
by affected individuals, including provision for reconstructive surgeries and
on-going hormone treatment and counselling for those incorrectly assigned.
·
That a long
term follow-up study of people treated with intersex conditions be
undertaken. This should include a separate study of those born with atypical
genitalia and had surgical intervention.
·
The AIS Support Group
Australia supports the full disclosure of
a diagnosis of an intersex condition to the parents and the affected
individual at the earliest possible appropriate time.
·
That disclosure of
diagnosis should be accompanied by a complete explanation of a full range of treatment options available,
either for treatment or the likely outcome of non-intervention.
·
That parents and
affected individuals should be advised of the existence of the support
group and medical practitioners should recommend and explain the benefits of
contact with the group.
·
That ongoing medical
examinations of affected individuals should not be undertaken unless the
medical examinations are required for some demonstrable and specific medical
purpose.
·
That medical
photographs should not be taken except in the cases of photographs of
affected adults taken with their permission.
·
The AIS Support Group
Australia strongly recommends further research into the reasons for greater
incidence of low bone mineral density
in AIS adults and the effects of treatment with hormone replacement therapy by
oestrogen or testosterone on bone mineral density.
·
The AIS Support Group
Australia strongly recommends that research into the effects of the timing of orchidectomies on bone
mineral density levels in adulthood be conducted.
· The AIS Support Group Australia strongly recommends that any child suspected of being born with any intersex condition be referred to appropriate specialists in order that an accurate diagnosis is reached as early as possible.
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