Surgical Abuse of Intersex Child

How do we know the correct gender of a child with an intersex condition?

We won't know the child's gender until she or he is old enough to communicate to us. We recommend that the child be assigned a gender based on our best prediction, and allow her or him to determine for herself or himself once she or he is old enough to do so.

Irreversible surgeries on infants should be avoided in order to give them the widest range of choices when they are older. Performing surgeries will not eliminate the possibility that our prediction turns out to be wrong.

Learn more about the intersex rights movement: http://www.isna.org/faq/history

What is intersex?

Technically, intersex is defined as "congenital anomaly of the reproductive and sexual system." Intersex people are born with external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and/or endocrine system that are different from most other people. There is no single "intersex body"; it encompasses a wide variety of conditions that do not have anything in common except that they are deemed "abnormal" by the society. What makes intersex people similar is their experiences of medicalization, not biology.

Generally speaking, intersex is not an identity category. While some intersex people do reclaim "intersex" as part of their identity, most regard it as a medical condition, or just a unique physical state. Most intersex people identify and live as ordinary men and women, and are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight.

Intersex conditions are also known as "disorders of sex development" (DSD) in the medical community.

What do intersex activists want?

We are working to replace the current model of intersex treatment based on concealment with a patient-centered alternative. We are not suggesting that intersex babies are better off left alone; we want there to be social and psychological support for both the parents and intersex children so that they can deal with social difficulties resulting from being different than others.

In the long-term, we hope to remove those social barriers through education and raising awareness. See Alice Dreger's chart contrasting the two paradigms.

Are intersex conditions harmful?

In general, intersex conditions do not cause the person to feel sick or in pain. However, some intersex conditions are associated with serious health issues, which need to be treated medically. However, surgically "correcting" the appearance of intersex genitals will not change these underlying medical needs.

How common are intersex conditions?

No one knows exactly how many children are born with intersex conditions because of the secrecy and deception surrounding it, and also because there is no concrete boundaries to the definition of "intersex." It is nonetheless estimated that about one in 2,000 children, or five children per day in the United States, are born visibly intersex, prompting early (and often misguided) intervention.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• intersex
• gender
• hermaphrodite
• choice
• doctor
• crime
• sue
• court
• punishment
• sterile
• genome
• biopsy
• benign
• male
• female
• enforcement
• social
• norms

[theoriginalanomaly]

That surgeon should be castrated.

[Montoya42Fan]

Proof you can't always trust doctors. They were trying to do a cover-up by lying to a child's parents and taking away a child's rights.

[Guestarable]

Good job, Mom! Nobody has the right to "alter" a child without some sort of immediate danger to the child's health. If Patrick identifies more with the female gender there is plenty of time for him to come to that decision and have the appropriate corrective surgeries.

[brajamtho757]

This is why capital punishment is still necessary. Anyone who takes a knife to a child's genitals without a immediate medical problem requiring surgical intervention and only after other less invasive methods have failed is a child rapist, and should be executed.

[thinktoomuchmoose]

I would definitely wait if I had a intersex child. I would totally let them make the choice and I commend you two for sharing your story! You guys are amazing!

[greenburrito8]

Sue him!!!!

[RikkiTalks]

@sysopt1 I completely agree, there should be a law about this.

[Chadolution]

Give birth to your child at home... and don't let doctors-with knives - anywhere NEAR your child. NO GENITAL MUTILATION OF CHILDREN! Male, female or intersex!

[Octobandits]

okay seriously that surgeon's license needs to be taken away and he needs to go to prison for the rest of his life. THIS MAKES ME SO UPSET! it's so messed up how badly he wanted Patrick to be a girl. NOTHING gives HIM the right to make that choice but Patrick. errrghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FckBiTchEzGetMoNeY]

SUE THE FUCKER.



[hmmanna]

i dont understand this woman. what reason did she have to raise him as a boy? she did not know that he would do better as a boy than as a girl.