Intersex Awareness Day

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Intersex Awareness Day
Observed byIntersex community, LGBT communities & allies
TypeInternational
DateOctober 26[1]
Frequencyannual
First time2003
Related toIntersex Day of Remembrance - November 8
Intersex topics
Intersex flag
Human rights and legal issues
Medicine and biology
Society and culture
History and events
Rights by country
See also

Intersex Awareness Day is an internationally observed awareness day each October 26,[1] designed to highlight human rights issues faced by intersex people.[2]

History[edit]

The event marks the first public demonstration by intersex people in North America, on October 26, 1996, outside the venue in Boston where the American Academy of Pediatrics was holding its annual conference.[3][4] Intersex activists Morgan Holmes and Max Beck participated for the (now-defunct) Intersex Society of North America,[5][1] alongside allies from Transsexual Menace including Riki 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 by Betsy Driver and Emi Koyama.[1] A central awareness raising site was later re-established in 2015 by Morgan Carpenter with Laura Inter of Brújula Intersexual, and support from Open Society Foundations.[9]

Observance[edit]

Intersex Awareness Day is an international day of grass-roots action to end shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.[3][10] The day also provides an opportunity for reflection[11][12] and political action.[13] Between October 26 and November 8, intersex organizations bring attention to the challenges intersex individuals face, culminating in the Intersex Day of Remembrance[4] on November 8, the birthday of Herculine Barbin, also sometimes known as Intersex Solidarity Day.[14][15][16]

Notable observances[edit]

2013[edit]

On Friday 25 October 2013, the day before Intersex Awareness Day that year, the Australian Senate published a report on an inquiry titled the Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia.[17] On 11 November 2014, the New South Wales Legislative Council in 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[edit]

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

2015[edit]

In 2015, institutional events included the launch of an Intersex Human Rights Fund by Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice,[21] and a motion submitted to New South Wales Legislative Assembly in Australia by Greens MP Jenny Leong.[22] A lawsuit was filed by Dana Zzyym of the Intersex Campaign for Equality, with Lambda Legal, suing the United States Department of State for legal gender recognition on their passport as nonbinary and intersex.[23][24] BuzzFeed reported that over 4.2 million people saw personal stories posted on social media in an action coordinated by activist Pidgeon Pagonis.[25]

2016[edit]

In 2016, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights launched an awareness website,[26] while UN experts, including the Committee against Torture, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, along with the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and United Nations Special Rapporteurs called for an urgent end to human rights violations against intersex persons, including in medical settings.[27][28]

Multiple governmental bodies made statements, alongside many civil society organizations.[29][30][31] Official recognition included statements by the United States Department of State[32] and Australian Human Rights Commission[33][34] also made statements, The South African government acknowledged a need for action to prevent human rights violations,[35][36] and there was a first event in Kenya.[37]

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

2017[edit]

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] The State Department issued a statement recognizing violence of forced medical practices.[43][44]

2018[edit]

In 2018, OII Europe, ILGA-Europe and 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 undergone intersex medical interventions.[47] Australian intersex organizations held parliamentary meetings, and awarded the 'Darling Award' to the National LGBTI Health Alliance to recognize work beyond affirmation of the Darlington Statement, a regional community declaration.[48][49]

2019[edit]

  • 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[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Driver, Betsy (14 October 2015). "The origins of Intersex Awareness Day". Intersex Day. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  2. ^ "Intersex Awareness Day". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Intersex Awareness Day, 2013". Organisation Intersex International Australia. 26 October 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  4. ^ a b "The 14 days of intersex". Star Observer. 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Holmes, Morgan (17 October 2015). "When Max Beck and Morgan Holmes went to Boston". Intersex Day. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  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 from the original on 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  8. ^ Mitchell, Mani (October 21, 2015). "International Intersex Awareness Day 2015". Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  9. ^ Carpenter, Morgan (3 November 2015). "About Intersex Day; evaluating the project". Intersex Day. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  10. ^ "Celebrate Intersex Awareness Day: October 26, 2004". Egale Canada. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  11. ^ "So, It's Intersex Awareness Day and What Have We Done?". The Interface Project. Archived from the original on 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Why Intersex Awareness Day is important". Star Observer. 24 October 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Legislative Council, Minutes Of Proceedings, No. 16, Tuesday 11 November 2014". New South Wales Legislative Council. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  14. ^ "Intersex: Myths and Realities". Transfaith Online. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  15. ^ "GUEST POST: October 26 is Intersex Awareness Day". GLAAD. 26 October 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Am 8. November ist Inter*sex Solidarity Day". IVIM/OII Germany (in German). 26 October 2013. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013.
  17. ^ Australian Senate (25 October 2013). "Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  18. ^ "NSW Legislative Council motion marking Intersex Awareness Day, 2014". Organisation Intersex International Australia. 11 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  19. ^ Senate of the Land of Berlin, Germany (24 October 2014). "Intersex Awareness Day: Senat fördert Angebote für intergeschlechtliche Menschen" (in German). Archived from the original on 4 November 2014.
  20. ^ Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, Distrito Federal (October 2014). "Forum: "Inter visibilidad, Visibility intersex"". Archived from the original on 2014-11-04.
  21. ^ Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (October 25, 2015), Astraea Launches the World's First Intersex Human Rights Fund, archived from the original on December 8, 2015, retrieved December 5, 2015
  22. ^ Intersex Day (26 October 2015). "Motion introduced into NSW State Parliament". Intersex Day. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  23. ^ Lambda Legal (October 26, 2015). "Lambda Legal Sues U.S. State Department on Behalf of Intersex Citizen Denied Passport". Archived from 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. Archived from the original on December 9, 2015.
  25. ^ Karlan, Sarah (October 28, 2015). "People Took To Twitter To Share Their Deeply Personal #IntersexStories". Buzzfeed. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017.
  26. ^ "United Nations for Intersex Awareness". October 2016. Archived from 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, archived from the original on November 21, 2016
  28. ^ Radcliffe, Charles (October 24, 2016). "Intersex Ed at the UN". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 30, 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  29. ^ "Intersex Day". October 2016.
  30. ^ "Intersex Awareness Day". Interact Advocates for Intersex Youth. October 26, 2016. Archived from the original on October 30, 2016.
  31. ^ "Intersex Awareness Day news round-up". Organisation Intersex International Australia . October 29, 2016. Archived from 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. Archived from 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. Archived from the original on 2016-10-27. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  35. ^ "Iranti.org: South Africa and the rights of intersex children". Intersex Day. October 26, 2016. Archived from 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. Archived from the original on October 30, 2016.
  37. ^ "Nairobi, Kenya: walk for recognition". Intersex Day. October 21, 2016. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  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 from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  40. ^ Power, Shannon (June 29, 2017). "'Stunning victory' as US Surgeons General call for an end to intersex surgery". Gay Star News. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  41. ^ "Parliamentary Friendship Group breakfast for Intersex Awareness Day". Intersex Human Rights Australia. October 11, 2017. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  42. ^ "American Academy of Pediatrics statement on Intersex Awareness Day". Intersex Day. October 27, 2017. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  43. ^ "US State Department message of solidarity". Intersex Day. October 27, 2017. Retrieved 2018-11-17.
  44. ^ Nauert, Heather (October 26, 2017). "In Recognition of Intersex Awareness Day". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  45. ^ OII Europe; IGLYO; European Parents' Association (October 26, 2018), Supporting your intersex child - A parents' toolkit, retrieved 2018-11-16
  46. ^ Weigel, Alicia Roth (October 23, 2018). "Intersex, and Erased Again". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  47. ^ Compton, Julie (October 24, 2018). "'You can't undo surgery': More parents of intersex babies are rejecting operations". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  48. ^ Wade, Matthew (October 26, 2018). "Intersex allies in Australia recognised with 'Darling Award'". Star Observer. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  49. ^ Intersex Human Rights Australia (October 26, 2018). "Intersex Awareness Day, 2018". Intersex Human Rights Australia. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  50. ^ "Intersex flag at City Hall celebrates milestones". www.theinterrobang.ca. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  51. ^ "How this Ontario organization is raising awareness of intersex rights". TVO.org. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  52. ^ Arcuri, Dean (2019-10-26). "Arts Centre Melbourne spire lights up for Intersex Awareness Day". Star Observer. Retrieved 2021-09-15.

External links[edit]

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