Brief-Guidelines-for-Intersex-Allies

Brief Guidelines for Intersex Allies
Information to help you spread awareness about intersex people
Intersex Basics
Resources to Get Started
Who are Intersex People?
Websites
Intersex people are born with a mix of anatomical sex traits (chromosomes, JHQLWDOVDQGRUUHSURGXFWLYHRUJDQV WKDWGRQRW¿WW\SLFDOGH¿QLWLRQVRIPDOH RUIHPDOH7KLVPD\EHDSSDUHQWDWELUWKRUEHFRPHVRODWHULQOLIH0DQ\IRUPV RILQWHUVH[H[LVWLWLVQRWDVLQJOHFDWHJRU\3OHDVHVHH2,,86$¶VZHEVLWHIRU a comprehensive list: http://oii-­usa.org/1124/intersex-­variations-­list/
How many intersex individuals are there?
The most thorough existing research found intersex births to constitute 1.9% of WKHSRSXODWLRQ PDNLQJLQWHUVH[LQGLYLGXDOVSRWHQWLDOO\DVFRPPRQDVUHGKDLUHG
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Do intersex individuals need “treatment” by clinicians? Are they sick? 7KHUHDUHYHU\IHZLQVWDQFHVZKHQDFKLOG¶VLQWHUVH[YDULDWLRQSRVHVKHDOWKULVNV
that require immediate medical attention. Rather, intersex people, like all people, VRPHWLPHVKDYHKHDOWKLVVXHV)RUH[DPSOHEHLQJDIHPDOHLVQRWLQDQGRILWVHOI
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Does intersex have something to do with gender, sexual orientation, or sexual behavior?
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orientations and gender identities as non-­intersex people. Why are intersex individuals subjected to medical treatment? 6LQFHLQWHUVH[ERGLHVFDQQRWEHHDVLO\FDWHJRUL]HGLQWRRQHVH[RUDQRWKHUWKH
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individuals cannot consent to them (info at oii-­usa.org). Even adolescents have UHSRUWHGIHHOLQJSUHVVXUHGDVODWHDVKLJKVFKRROE\WKHLUSDUHQWV¶DQGRUGRFWRUV¶
recommendations, and often regret having succumbed to them.
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http://oii-­usa.org;; http://facebook.com/oiiusa Blogs
Full Frontal Activism: Intersex and Awesome http://fullfrontalactivism.blogspot.com/
Intersex and Out http://intersexandout.tumblr.com www.hidaviloria.com
Intersex Roadshow http://intersexroadshow.blogspot.com
Books
Golden Boy: A Novel. $ELJDLO7DUWWHOOLQ
Fixing Sex: Intersex, Medical Authority, and Lived Experience. .DWULQD.DUND]LV
Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex. (OL]DEHWK5HLV
Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality. $QQH)DXVWR6WHUOLQJ
Intersex and Identity: The Contested Self. 6KDURQ(3UHYHV
Documentaries
Intersexion (2012)
Orchids: My Intersex Adventure (2011)
XXY (2007)
One in 2000 (2006)
About the Organisation Intersex International (OII)
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branches on six continents, representing over ten languages. )RXQGHGLQE\DQGIRULQWHUVH[SHRSOH2,,¶VPLVVLRQ
is to attain human rights for intersex infants, children and DGXOWVSDUWLFXODUO\WKHULJKWWRERGLO\LQWHJULW\DQGVHOI
determination.
About OII-­USA
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Do all intersex individuals identify as either male or female?
How to be a Good Ally
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as male, female, men, women, intersex, intersex males, intersex females, intersex women, intersex men, or as none of these.
How can I raise awareness about intersex people, even if I’m not intersex?
Are intersex individuals hermaphrodites?
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sex organs, and this is impossible in humans. The word ZDVRULJLQDOO\XVHGEHFDXVHRIWKHFXOWXUDOLGHDRULJLQDWLQJ
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What is DSD? Is this the same as intersex?
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What are intersex activists’ goals?
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cosmetic genital surgeries have been shown to be harmful, and that intersex individuals must be able to choose what is done to their bodies (excluding situations where medical health risks are involved). Does the existence of intersex individuals invalidate the gender binary?
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Are intersex individuals part of the queer community?
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which is in line with the goals of intersex activism and the UHDVRQVIRUGLVFULPLQDWLRQDJDLQVWXV$VWUDQV LQFOXVLRQ
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end to the particular discrimination one faces. In addition, just as Latinos, for example, are not required to, and do not DOZD\VLGHQWLI\DV³SHRSOHRIFRORU´GHVSLWHWKHLULQFOXVLRQ in the umbrella term, intersex people do not have to LGHQWLI\DV³/*%74,$´
1) Start conversations based on these guidelines. ‡5HPHPEHUWKDWPRVW,QWHUVH[LQGLYLGXDOVSULRULWL]HGLVFXVVLQJKRZWR
combat human rights abuses rather than being used as examples to H[SORUHFRQFHSWVLQVH[DQGJHQGHUWKHRU\
2) Be Intersex-­inclusive = LGBTI or LGBTQIA ‡8VHWKH/*%7,RU/*%74,$DFURQ\PVZKLFKLQFOXGHWKH³,´IRU
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3) Make intersex more visible. ‡³/LNH´DQLQWHUVH[RUJDQL]DWLRQRQ)DFHERRNVXFKDV2,,86$
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4) Learn about intersex from intersex people.
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5) When speaking to intersex individuals:
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too personal and thus invasive
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uncomfortable.
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6) Do not make the assumption that intersex is a medical condition.
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etc. when discussing their form of intersex.
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