New Scientist
features Gender and Intersex
May 12, 2001.
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When a baby's anatomy doesn't fit our notions of male or female the surgeons often step in. But are we simply pandering to social prejudices? Helen Phillips investigates |
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Just call me T-girl (Has a small reference to intersex) |
(Some people have found the NewScientist site difficult to access, but these are the correct urls).
Tony Briffa's letter to NewScientist was published in the 2 June 2001 issue,
and they were kind enough to include the AIS Support Group Australia's contact
details. The letter said:
"Beyond he, she and it"
Thank you for highlighting the issues facing intersex people in "Beyond two
sexes" (12 May, p 26). People with intersex conditions continue to be
abused by the majority of the medical community all over the world, and these
practices will not change unless we educate the broader community.
We also need to consider changes to the law, and continue to strive for legal
recognition of intersex as a bone fide gender for people with intersex
conditions who identify themselves as such. I am not suggesting that we
raise children with intersex conditions as "its". However,
adults who do not identify themselves as exclusively male or female should have
their gender recognised legally, complete with all the benefits associated with
that legal recognition.
Above all, I would just like to reiterate what I say to people when discussing
intersex conditions: "Intersex is a variation, not a defect."
with
questions or comments about this web site.