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>>> English 

Jens Modvig, président CAT et co-rapporteur pour la France en train de
questionner la délégation française sur les pratiques MGI, Palais Wilson 19.04.2016

La France est examinée sur les pratiques des MGI lors de la 57th session du Comité contre la Torture (CAT) Mardi 19 Avril 10:00-13:00h + Mercredi 20 Avril 15:00-18:00h.

La Session est retransmise via treatybodywebcast.org.

StopIGM.org rapporte LIVE des auditions au Palais Wilson, y compris des Traductions non officielles des Q&R’s sur l’Intersexuation:

Session 2, Mercredi 20.04.2016, 13-18h

Env. 18:00h: Le président Jens Modvig conclu la 2ième session avec la France.

Env. 16:50h: Président Modvig ajoute au sujet des enfants intersexes: Comme un docteur lui-même, il pense que autre personnes que les chirurgiens doivent donner du conseil, y compris des survivants des MGI.
🙂
Transcription à suivre …

16:28h: Enfants intersexes maintenant! Ou plutôt des “traitements thérapeutiques” supposément justifiés par “l’intérêt de l’enfant” … et puis rapidement changer de sujet en parlant de “la question d’orientation sexuelle et de l’identité de genre” (une tactique de diversion bien connue et souvent utilisée, critiquée explicitement par Vincent Guillot pendant le meeting des ONGs avec le Comité CAT) 🙁 Le membre de la délégation française, Pascal Froudière (Ministère des Affaires sociales et de la Santé, Direction générale de la cohésion sociale, Chargé de mission – bureau des affaires européennes et internationales) répète les mêmes excuses du gouvernement comme dans le Senat et devant le Comité des droits de l’enfant  – 90% mot pour mot! (= dans la transcription suivante en caractères gras):

«Le Comité a soulevé le sujet des situations d’enfants intersexués à la naissance, c’est-à-dire les nouveaux-nés qui ont une anomalie congénitale entrainant une difficulté de détermination du sexe. Il a abordé la question de la temporalité des interventions et du consentement de l’enfant lui-même qui nécessiterait des interventions médicales et/où chirurgicales, et de décaler – et le consentement de l’enfant lui-même qui nécessiterait de décaler les échéances des interventions si cela était dans l’intérêt de l’enfant.

Il s’agit d’un sujet complex qui se rapporte tant à des questions d’éthique que de droits de la personne humaine, et en particulier des droits de l’enfant, de la lutte contre les discriminations que de la santé aussi que de l’approche du sujet doit être global.

Ainsi, avant toute décision thérapeutique, ces enfants nécessitent une prise en charge multidisciplinaire dans des centres experts spécialisés où seront réalisés les examens endocrinologiques, génétiques et d’imagerie indispensables pour définir la maladie responsable et les possibilités thérapeutiques, médicales autant que chirurgicales.

En France, il existe un centre de référence, le centre des maladies rares du développement sexuel, qui comprend deux sites, un site à Lyon et un site au Kremlin-Bicêtre près de Paris, et il travaille en lien avec les autres centres de référence des maladies endocriniennes rares. Le recours à un centre de référence est essentiel pour la démarche diagnostique, le traitement médical et les indications chirurgicales, précoces ou différées, le suivi, ainsi que pour la recherche clinique.

Les indications chirurgicales peuvent être difficiles. C’est pourquoi elles font l’objet de discussions et de travaux internationaux, qui, reconnaissons-le, ne sont pas parfaitement consensuels. Ces indications chirurgicales sont le plus souvent spécifiques à chaque cas et demandent donc une information personnalisée très complète et régulière des parents.

Le caractère irréversible de certaines interventions de reconstruction impose de tenir compte des données médicales, et en particulier pronostiques, du libre choix des parents et de l’enfant quand il est en mesure d’exprimer sa volonté.

Quelles que soient les modalités thérapeutiques, un suivi prolongé est nécessaire pour évaluer les conséquences physiques, sexuelles et psychiques des traitements réalisés.

Dans ces situations médicales complexes, aux conséquences multiples tout au long de la vie, la qualité de l’expertise, de la prise en charge et du dialogue continu est le meilleur garant du respect des droits de l’enfant. Elle doit permettre d’éviter toute les décisions hâtives qui [???] exister et tout acte qui pourrait être vécu plus tard comme une mutilation inacceptable.

Enfin, la question d’orientation sexuelle et de l’identité de genre est une problématique partagée en Europe, en tant qu’elle pose des questions médicales, mais aussi des droits fondamentaux. Elle fait l’objet de travaux en cours au sein du plan d’action sur les droits des enfants 2016-2021 et l’unité « SOGI » du Conseil de l’Europe, en charge des questions d’orientation [sexuelle] et de l’identité du genre.

La méconnaissance du phénomène en France nécessite un travail approfondi pour mieux le cerner, le comprendre et y répondre. C’est la raison pour laquelle est-il envisagé que le Conseil National d’éthique soit saisi avant que puisse être arrêtée une position en la matière. Merci.»

15:06h: La session a commencée et la retransmission est active! 

Session 1, Mardi 19.04.2016, 10-13h

Env. 11:15h: CAT président et co-rapporteur pour la France, Jens Modvig a posé des questions à la délégation française sur les mesures contre les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes en France! YOUPI!!!

«Concernant les enfants intersexes, le Comité sait que en France les médecins effectuent régulièrement des mutilations génitales intersexes non-consensuelles, opérations mutilantes sur des nourrissons et des enfants intersexes, malgré le fait que les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes se sont révélées de causer des graves douleurs et de souffrance.

Je vous prie d’informer le Comité si des services de consultation et du soutien psychologique sont fournis aux enfants et leurs parents sur une base obligatoire? Est-ce que l’état partie a l’intention de prendre des mesures pour protéger les droits des nourrissons et enfants intersexes?»  

Env. 11:30h: La membre du Comité Sapana Pradhan-Malla a fait référence à la critique précédente du CAT et a continué a demander si la France a des plans pour garantir l’accès à la réparation et à la justice pour les survivants des Mutilations Génitales Intersexes. HOURRA!!!

«Ma troisième préoccupation est, oui, nous avons également reçu des rapports concernant le traitement cruel et inhuman subi par les personnes avec des variations intersexes en France qui sont soumis à des chirurgies génitales involontaires masculinisantes ou féminisantes, procédures stérilisantes, affichage médical, et l’expérimentation contraire à l’éthique, souvent pendant leurs premières années de vie.

Des personnes concernées témoignent que tels traitements provoquent la vie durant du mal et de la souffrance, mais ce traitement préjudiciable est préconisé par la Haute Autorité de Santé, payé par l’assurance-santé publique et pratiqué dans les cliniques universitaires publiques aussi.

Le rapporteur spécial sur la torture, ainsi que notre comité a fait de nombreuses critiques de cette pratique dans des nombreux pays et a recommandé aux états parties de prendre toutes les mesures appropriées pour prévenir de telle pratique et pour veiller à rendre justice aux personnes concernées et aussi de garantir de la justice.

Par conséquent, nous aimerions savoir, Madame, si votre délégation est au courant de ce type de violation des droits de l’homme dans votre pays et si des mesures législatives sont prévues pour empêcher du traitement involontaire, et aussi si vous essayez de faire un effort pour garantir la justice à une telle violation des droits de l’homme. Je vous remercie.» 

12:59h: Le président Jens Modvig conclu la 1ière session avec la France. Les réponses sur l’intersexuation de la délégation française sont attendues pour demain Mercredi 20 Avril 15:00-18:00h. A suivre … 

>>> Mutilations Intersexes : « Seule la peur du juge va bouger les choses »
>>> « En France, aucune loi protège les enfants intersexes des mutilations quotidiennes »
>>> Comuniqué de Presse de l’ONU aborde les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes en France
>>> C’est pourquoi le Comité contre la Torture va condamner la France pour les MGI

     >>> Mutilations Génitales Intersexes: L’ONU-CRC réprimande la France!
     >>> Mutilations Génitales Intersexes: La France questionnée par UN-CRC 
     >>> La Ministre Bloque et Detourne – Transcriptions des Questions et Réponses MGI  

Intersex Genital Mutilations in France: CAT NGO Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • How Common are IGMs?
>>>  Download (PDF 3.71 MB)

Voir aussi:
• 10 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors! 

>>> English    

Témoignages sur MGI, 57ème Session du Comité de l’ONU contre la Torture:
Daniela Truffer (StopIGM.org), Vincent Guillot (France), Markus Bauer (StopIGM.org)
au Palais Wilson avant de l’ONG briefing avec le Comité, Genève 18.04.2016

C’est le tour de la France pour l’examen sur les pratiques MGI à la 57ème Session du Comité de l’ONU contre la Torture (CAT),
19. Avril 10:00-13:00h et 20. Avril 15:00-18:00h.

Retransmise EN DIRECT sur treatybodywebcast.org. StopIGM.org va rapporter du Palais Wilson, et va >>> publier ici des transcriptions non officielles des Questions et Réponses sur l’Intersexuation.

Ci-dessous la fin de l’intervention de Vincent Guillot pendant l’ONG briefing avec le Comité contre la Torture (CAT):

«Depuis plus de dix ans je m’engage pour que les enfants intersexes ne souffrent plus comme moi, mais les politiciens et les médecins refusent d’écouter.

Par exemple, en novembre dernier, j’ai envoyé une lettre aux ministres de la justice et de la santé mais je n’ai pas reçu de réponse.

C’est seulement après que la france ai été réprimandé par le comité des droits des enfants que l’assurance maladie publique m’a répondu que la pratique est- je cite- “justifiée car approuvée par les acteurs de santé”.

Au sénat, le gouvernement a annoncé vouloir se concentrer sur des questions d’état-civil et d’identité de genre, questions marginales pour les enfants intersexes.

J’attends toujours la réponse du ministère de la justice au sujet des mutilations génitales.

En France jusqu’à aujourd’hui il n’y a aucune loi qui protège les enfants intersexes des mutilations quotidiennes.

J’appelle le comité à demander à la france de prendre “des mesures législatives, administratives, judiciaires et autres” pour protéger les enfants intersexes.

Merci.»

>>> Le Comité de l’ ONU contre la Torture questionne la France sur les MGI!
>>> Comuniqué de Presse de l’ONU aborde les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes en France
>>> C’est pourquoi le Comité contre la Torture va condamner la France pour les MGI

   >>> Mutilations Génitales Intersexes: La France questionnée par UN-CRC 
   >>> La Ministre Bloque et Detourne – Transcriptions des Questions et Réponses MGI  
   >>> Mutilations Génitales Intersexes: L’ONU réprimande la France

Intersex Genital Mutilations in France: CAT NGO Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • How Common are IGMs?
>>>  Download (PDF 3.71 MB)

Voir aussi:
• 10 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors! 

Unfortunately, some important things still bear repeating … how much longer?!

IGM is VIOLENCE, a HARMFUL PRACTICE comparable to FGM, and INHUMAN TREATMENT in breach of the UN convention against TORTURE, and by far the most common and most severe form of violence intersex people experience, and MUST STOP!

When talking, writing or lecturing about intersex and rightfully addressing violence against intersex people, it’s not acceptable to count only comparatively rare cases of “verbal and physical abuse” and “bullying” while at the same time dismissing Intersex Genital Mutilations, framing IGM as “controversy” and “heated debate” over “health and medical services” instead.

Framing IGM not as violence, but as “health care”, or under “discrimination” or “civil status and identity issues” is INTERSEX APPROPRIATION and actively siding with the perpetrators, and MUST STOP just as well!

See also:
• 10 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 States over IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

Eliminating IGM practices by holding the perpetrators accountable via well-established applicable human rights frameworks, including Inhuman Treatment and Harmful Practices – Presentation @ UN expert meeting on Intersex Human Rights
>>> Download PDF (831kb)

>>> France Questioned over IGM Practices by the UN Committee against Torture

Intersex human rights defenders Vincent Guillot and StopIGM.org submitted a new thematic intersex NGO report for the upcoming CAT review of France, Tue 19 Apr 10-13h + Wed 20 Apr 15-18h.

The report includes updated sections on IGM in France and on legislation against IGM practices as a requirement under CAT, an updated bibliography of human rights bodies verdicts and NGO reports, and 2 case stories of IGM survivors.
 

NGO Report to the 7th Periodic Report of France on the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)

>>>  Download (PDF 3.71 MB)

Compiled by:
Vincent Guillot
Zwischengeschlecht.org / StopIGM.org

 
10 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …

The Committee against Torture (CAT) has repeatedly considered Intersex IGM as constituting at least inhuman treatment in breach of the Concention against Tortute, and already reprimanded Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Hong Kong.

The Committee in the Rights of the Child (CRC) considers IGM as violence and a harmful practice (like FGM) and so far reprimanded Switzerland, Chile, France and Ireland over IGM.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) also considers IGM as inhuman treatment and reprimanded Germany.

In all above 10 verdicts, the Committes issued binding recommendations to take legislative action to end the practice and/or to ensure access to redress and justice for IGM survivors.

In addition, the Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) as the governing body of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) is currently investigating IGM and called on Switzerland to disclose statistics.

>>> France Questioned over IGM Practices by the UN Committee against Torture
>>> French Gov: IGM-Perpetrators “best suited” to “prevent” Mutilations 

See also:
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors! 

IGM as Torture or CIDT: 2015 UN-CAT Briefing
 1.  Personal Testimony – A Survivor’s Perspective
 2.  IGM Practices as Torture or Cruel, Inhuman or
 Degrating Treatment (CIDT)       3.  Recommendations
>>> Download PDF (1.7 MB)   >>> Text only DOC 

>>> Deutsch

“Gov doesn’t feel the pain yet!” – In February 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) reprimanded France, considering the ongoing genital surgeries on intersex children a “harmful practice” (like FGM), to be outlawed under multiple international treaties.
Laurence Rossignol, meanwhile French Minister of Family, Children and Women’s Rights, had represented France in Geneva on this – as she called it – “extremely recent issue”.

Addressing the French Senate four weeks later on 10.02.2016 Re: the French Gov’s advocacy of – erm, (non-)position on – [TRIGGER!] Intersex Genital Mutilations, she just stalled & diverted some more (unofficial translation – read it and weep do something!):

Answer to question n° 1276S by Maryvonne Blondin, Senator of Finistère and Member of the Council of Europe, General Counsillor of Quimper  [ >>> Senate Log, p. 2485 ]

Reply by Mrs Laurence Rossignol, [photo: UN-CRC 71st Session, Geneva 14.01.2016], secretary of state with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Women’s Rights, in charge of issues regarding family, children, the elderly and the right to autonomy [now Minister of Family, Children and Women’s Rights]:

« Madame senator, you are asking me about children who are intersex at birth, in other words newborn with an congenital anomaly, leading to difficulties to determine the sex of the newborn.

Fortunately, the occurrence of such cases is rare: the incidence at birth isn’t well known, but lies within the range of one birth out of 5000, thus probably approximately 160 births every year [ BINGO! ]. Nevertheless, the low occurrence doesn’t change the importance of the subject.

During it’s review on January 13 and 14, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child questioned France on this topic. The Committee raised questions about the timing of the interventions and the consent of the concerned children themselves, which in the interest of the child would require to postpone these interventions.

Before a therapeutic decision is made, those children need a multi disciplinary care in specialised competence centres, where endocrinologic and genetic analyses, as well as indispensible imaging methods will be performed, in order to determine the underlying illness, as well as the medical and surgical treatment options.

There is a reference centre in France, the centre for rare diseases of sex development, which includes a facility in Lyon and one at the Hospital Kremlin-Bicêtre [Paris]; it works together with other reference centres for rare endocrine diseases. The close collaboration with a reference centre is essential for the diagnostic approach, the medical treatment and the indication for surgery, early or postponed, and the following care, as well as for the clinical research.

The indications for surgery can be difficult. Therefore, they are the subject of international discussions [ BINGO! ] and studies, which admittedly aren’t perfectly amicable. The indications for surgery are mostly specific to every case and therefore require an individual, comprehensive and constant information of the parents.

The irreversible nature of some reconstructive surgery demands consideration of the medical findings, in particular the prognostic, as well as of the free choice of the parents and of the child, if it is able to express its will.

Whichever therapeutic treatment options are chosen, a permanent care is necessary to be able to evaluate the physical, sexual and psychological consequences of the treatments.

With such complex medical questions, which entail multiple lifelong consequences, the quality of the medical expertise and care, and of a continuous dialogue is best suited to guarantee compliance with the rights of the child. It must ensure to prevent any premature decisions and any action, which later may be experienced as intolerable mutilation.

Finally, regarding the question of sexual orientation and gender identity, this we agree on in Europe, is an issue. This question is the matter of current activities within the strategy for the rights of the child 2016-2021 and the “SOGI” unit of the Council of Europe, which is in charge of questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.

Given the complexity of the subject, which relates to ethical questions as well as the rights of the human person, the struggle against discrimination and questions of health, the National Consultative Ethics Committee for health and life sciences will be tasked with the matter, before the government will be able to take up a position. »

PS 1: In an additional reply to Rossignol’s answer above, Senator Maryvonne Blondin claims a) in Germany unnecessary surgeries would be “postponed until the age of 15 years”, at which age b) the children themselves could “really decide themselves”. Unfortunately, a) is blatantly untrue, and b) actually isn’t that straightforward.

PS 2: How typical is that: The French Gov plans to convene a “roundtable” on the topic of “children with undetermined sexual identity”  [sic!] on 12 May – IGM survivors are not invited!!!

PS 3: And on 4 April at Strasbourg University there’s yet another pathologising “academic talk” titled “Intersexuation: from a vulnerable body to a malleable one?” (PDF) According to a newsletter by the Uni, a prominent pedo surgeon has been added to the panel, Prof. François Becmeur, the director of surgery (known for publicly advocating and defending IGM [youtube]) of the local pedo clinic at Uni Hospital “CHU Strasbourg”(where intersex babies are mutilated regularly) – while persons concerned are not invited, again!!! >>> Sign the petition at change.org

How much longer?!

>>> IGM = “Harmful Practice” + “Violence”: UN-CRC Reprimands France

Intersex Genital Mutilations in France: CRC NGO Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • How Common are IGMs?
>>>  Download (PDF 3.41 MB)

   >>> Minister Stalls & Diverts: France questioned over IGM by UN – Full Transcript  
   >>> UN Media Release on the Session with France, mentions intersex

See also:
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!  

IGM is a Harmful Practice: 2015 UN-CRC Briefing
• IGM: A Survivor’s Perspective • Intersex Movement History
• What are Variations of Sex Anatomy?  • What are IGM Practices?
• IGM and Human Rights  • Conclusion: IGM is a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB)     >>> Table of Contents

An alarming media trend: After last December’s similar ‘revelations’ by the Bavarian State Archive and in the Berlin newspaper “Die Welt” (in german, TRIGGER!!), here comes yet another ‘random’ media article in a ‘respectable outlet’ + online rehashs that again associate Hitler with various medical intersex diagnoses in a very bad, inappropriate and irresponsible way – and that publicly advocate Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM).

click to enlarge!

This time initiated by “The Telegraph” (TRIGGER!!) and picked up by “PinkNews”, the reports are again based on conveniently ‘rediscovered medical files’ in a (this time actually not so) newly published book which allegedly ‘prove’ that Adolf Hitler had been diagnosed with one or several intersex traits, including ‘undescended testes’, ‘hypospadias’ and ‘micropenis’, and the reports once more insinuate such “extensive genital abnormalities” would likely “go some way to explaining Hitler’s [insert whatever]” (“PinkNews.co.uk”, TRIGGER!!), or “offer some explanation as to […] the cause of his famed fits of rage” (“Telegraph”, TRIGGER!!), or “go down in history as the ultimate example of micro penis over compensation“ (Reader comment by TampaZeke on “PinkNews”, TRIGGER!!), and more assorted intersex shaming, dehumanising and debasement.

click to enlarge!

“The surgery to correct hypospadias is most effective if the condition is diagnosed early” (Telegraph hypospadias tie-in)

In addition, “The Telegraph” features a tie-in article on ‘hypospadias’ (TRIGGER!!) in which “hypospadias specialist and researcher” Dr Matthew Jackson (Newcastle University) publicly advocates Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM): “Surgical correction can be undertaken in early childhood by paediatric urologists”, despite admitting that there’s no evidence for the beneficience of the often very harmful ‘surgical corrections’, and despite the fact that hypospadias is an admittedly “benign condition that is WAS not [a] life threatening condition and men with hypospadias may be MIGHT HAVE BEEN happy with their penis the way it is WAS and choose WOULD HAVE CHOSEN not to have any treatment” – there, fixed that for ya!

click to enlarge!

My 2 cents: Shame IGM perpetrators, NOT intersex bodies!

Personally, I dont give a flying f**** if Hitler was intersex or not – and even if he actually was, this certainly wouldn’t in any way ‘explain Hitler’, nor his ‘monstrosity’, nor the the war, nor the shoah – so dear media and reporters, kindly stop the cr*p!!

And if for whatever reasons you still really MUST pair intersex and nazis(m), instead of engaging in intersex shaming, dehumanising and debasement, >>> here are some relevant but tellingly underreported ‘stories’ including references (PDF, p. 51–53 + 84, TRIGGER!!) (underreported in both media and academia, that is), including:

• How the term intersex was coined to describe “bastardisation due to racial mixing”
• How proto-nazi and eugenicist gynaeologists introduced the term intersex into human medicine as a diagnosis for “inferior women” prone to mental illnesses (“schizoid”), “unfit for marriage” and “most frequent in Jews”.
• How a prominent nazi doctor in 1933 first combined amputation of an “enlarged clitoris” with administration of hormones on an intersex person, claiming “in the interest of the public the procreation of this being would hardly be desirable.”
• How the ‘nazi bible of racial hygiene’ described ‘undescended testes’, ‘hypospadias’, ‘(pseudo)hermaphroditism’ and ‘intersex’ as “hereditary disease”, “consequence of racial mixing” or “abnormal mutation”, either way to be ‘cleansed from the population’ (>>> more in german)

>>> The Racist Roots of Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM)
>>> Selective Intersex Abortions: Hypospadias 2%, Indeterminate Sex 47%, XXY 74% 
>>> Hypospadias: “Childhood filled with pain, surgery, skin grafts, and isolation”
>>> VIDEO: ‘Unnecessary & Harmful’: Tiger Devore on ‘Hypospadias Repair’ (Pt. 1)
>>> Intersex Protests vs. ‘D$Dnet’ highlight ‘Hypospadias Repair’ 
>>> “An assault on children”: From “Hypospadias Cripple” to “Failed Hypospadias”  

Intersex Genital Mutilations
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
2014 NGO Report to the UN Committe on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Documents 17 Forms of IGMs and Nazi-Crimes a.o. in CH, D, A
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB)     >>> Table of Contents

See also:
• IGM = VIOLENCE and TORTURE, not “Health Care” or “Gender Identity”
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: “IGM = Harmful Practice”
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: “IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture”
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

IGM on a Global Scale: 2015 UN-CRC Briefing
• IGM: A Survivor’s Perspective • Intersex Movement History
• What are Variations of Sex Anatomy?  • What are IGM Practices?
• IGM and Human Rights  • Conclusion: IGM is a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB)     >>> Table of Contents

Intersex Protest vs. ‘1st DSDnet Training School’ @ Ghent University Congress Center ‘Het Pand’, 08.06.2015

The European Union (EU) is the biggest funder of IGM perpetrators in the world, currently paying out an undisclosed two-digit million Euro amount alone for the perpetrators’ ‘research’ projects ‘D$Dnet’ and ‘I-D$D’ run by well-known mutilators.

(‘To keep pace with’ these EU ‘advances in basic and clinical DSD research’, the U.S. mutilators are now enjoying a similar ‘D$D Translational Research Network’ funded by the NIH.)

On the other hand, for the victims of Intersex Genital Mutilations the EU has only ‘strong regrets’, and fig leaf ‘anti-discrimination initiatives’ …

To illustrate how typical EU-funded IGM perpetrators’ ‘research’ works, StopIGM.org documents salient examples from the international, genetics and eugenics-driven, multi-million Euro project ‘D$Dnet’ a.k.a. ‘A systematic elucidation of differences of sex development’ a.k.a. “BMBS [Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences] COST Action BM1303”, funded by “COST, European Cooperation in Science and Technology” and the “EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020”, including 36 EU and other member states. 

‘D$Dnet’ itself includes well-know IGM perpetrators and clinics from 28 nations around the globe, including Germany, France, the UK and more European countries, as well as Egypt, Israel, Russia, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and the U.S.A.

All these EU and other involved states not only allow such ‘research’ and the daily mutilations to continue, but actively support them – despite 20 years of criticism by intersex persons and others that directive counselling inevitably leads to more and more unnecessary surgery and other harmful ‘treatments’ clearly in violation of basic human rights, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention against Torture.

Intersex people need strong legislation against all forms of IGM practices, access to redress and justice including review of statutes of limitations, and TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSIONS, also in the European Union – NOT ‘D$D’ perpetrators’ ‘research’ and ‘anti-discrimination’ cover-ups!!

‘D$Dnet’: Genetics, Eugenics and ‘Better’ IGM

EU Millions for IGM perpetrators – persons concerned as fig leaf – how much longer?!

The basic organisational structure of the ‘global IGM cartel’ remains the same since its inception in 1950, with paediatric endocrinologists taking the lead, often collaborating with paediatric (urology) surgeons.

Since the 2nd ‘genetic boom’ starting around 2000, also geneticists are increasingly involved, and in 2006 the medical taxonomy shifted from gonadal (endocrine) to karyotype (genetics).

Also ‘research’ became increasingly genetics and eugenics driven – including ‘D$Dnet’, its precursor ‘EuroD$D’ and its current U.S. sister project ‘D$D Translational Research Network’ funded by the NIH (see ‘IGM – A Historical Overview, PDF p 49–62).

In current ‘D$D research’, as well as in the day-to-day IGM ‘treatments’ of the participating university children’s clinics, if psychosocial experts, psychologists and ethicists (or persons concerned) are included at all, then only as minor afterthought and never in leading positions (and persons concerned and their organisations only as a fig leaf and/or to recruit fellow ‘test subjects’) – and IGM practices are advocated as ‘justified’ and ‘reasonable’.

As can be gleaned from their website (Management Committee | Participating Parties | Memorandum of Understanding (PDF –> p 4), the EU-funded ‘DSDnet’ is no exception:

‘Most cases are no medical emergencies’ (but we operate anyways)

• Chair of ‘D$Dnet’ is the paediatric endocrinologist and geneticist Prof. Olaf Hiort (Luebeck University Children’s Clinic, Germany, pictured above), who also was chair of the precursor projects ‘EuroDSD’ and ‘Netzwerk D$D/Intersexualität’, and who has a long track record of publicly advocating and trying to whitewash IGM practices, and the Luebeck University Children’s Clinic is a well known international IGM perpetrator.

• The Vice Chair of ‘D$Dnet’ is another paediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Laura Audi (Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Spain).

• The country representants e.g. for Germany and Austria are 3 paediatric endocrinologists, and their substitutes are 2 paediatric surgeons and 1 paediatric endocrinologist, all well-known for involvement in IGM practices (feel free to research more representants for yourself – please let us know so we can update this post, thank you).

• Experts in psychosocial counselling are NOT represented at ‘D$Dnet’, psychologists only as a fig leaf, and ethicists and human rights experts NOT AT ALL.

• ‘D$Dnet’ openly operates under the premise that ‘often multiple’ IGM practices, including cosmetic genital surgeries a.k.a. ‘surgical interventions […] performed for genital reconstruction to a male or female appearance’, as well as castrations a.k.a. ‘gonads are often removed’, are justified due to the birth of an intersex child being perceived as ‘extremely challenging for families and health care professionals’ (see “Memorandum of Understanding”, PDF –> p 4):

• Persons concerned and their organisations are once more ‘involved’ by name only and as a fig leaf (despite assertions to the contrary).

• While it is true that there was a fig leaf ‘survey’ of (some) persons concerned and (some) intersex organisations, in fact the questions were of such a biased nature that any possible answer inevitably will be instrumentalised as a ‘justification’ for even more human experimentation and genital mutilations in serious breach of the human rights of the persons concerned, see e.g. the possible answers regarding ‘research priorities’:

‘Human rights? Ethics? That would be the bloody day!’ – click to enlarge!

• As per usual, at the time of the fig leaf survey, the course of the ‘research’ project was long set, as well as the organisational structure consisting of mostly hardened IGM perpetrators long determined.

• Similarly, at the time of the fig leaf survey, the possibility of participation of experts from scientific fields not immediately involved in IGM as perpetrators (e.g. human rights, social psychology, sociology, ethnology) had been long excluded – despite that persons concerned and their organisations have been criticising for a long time that ‘research’ run by perpetrators constitutes a continuation of medical violence and human rights violations, including the continuing attempt to ‘justify’ such crimes.

How much longer?!

IGM perpetrators, we’re gonna get you! Castrators, beware!

See also:
• IGM = VIOLENCE and TORTURE, not “Health Care” or “Gender Identity”
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: “IGM = Harmful Practice”
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: “IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture”
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

IGM on a Global Scale: 2015 UN-CRC Briefing
• IGM: A Survivor’s Perspective • Intersex Movement History
• What are Variations of Sex Anatomy?  • What are IGM Practices?
• IGM and Human Rights  • Conclusion: IGM is a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB)     >>> Table of Contents

>>> Yet another well-meant “Intersex Overview” paper (PDF) published on an LGBT page and aimed at “raising awareness”, that unfortunately does more harm than good.

On the bright side, it works just fine for playing INTERSEX APPROPRIATION BINGO:

• The paper frames IGM as “Intersex Medical Issues”, and the fight of intersex organisations to end IGM practices as “campaign for better treatment” – CHECK

• It claims “Some intersex people undergo [cosmetic genital] surgery during early childhood” vs. “Intersex people are often born with medical complications.” – CHECK

• It mentions “distress which can arise [after early IGM surgery] when the sex chosen by surgeons [later] contradicts an individual’s own instinctive feelings on the matter” – but NOT ONCE mentions distress because of the non-consensual nature of IGM – CHECK

• The ONLY legislation it proposes is NOT to end IGM, but “intersex people should have the legal right to determine their own gender” – CHECK

• On 14 pages, it NOT ONCE mentions “human rights” – CHECK

How much longer?!

See also:
• IGM = VIOLENCE and TORTURE, not “Health Care” or “Gender Identity”
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: “IGM = Harmful Practice”
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: “IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture”
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors! 

When talking, writing or lecturing about intersex and rightfully addressing violence against intersex people, it’s not acceptable to count only comparatively rare cases of “verbal and physical abuse” and “bullying” while at the same time dismissing Intersex Genital Mutilations, framing IGM as “controversy” and “heated debate” over “health and medical services” instead.

IGM is VIOLENCE, a HARMFUL PRACTICE comparable to FGM, and INHUMAN TREATMENT in breach of the UN convention against TORTURE, and by far the most common and most severe form of violence intersex people experience, and MUST STOP!

Framing IGM not as violence, but as “health care”, or under “discrimination” or “civil status and identity issues” is INTERSEX APPROPRIATION and actively siding with the perpetrators, and MUST STOP just as well!

See also:
• 10 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

Eliminating IGM practices by holding the perpetrators accountable via well-established applicable human rights frameworks, including Inhuman Treatment and Harmful Practices – Presentation @ UN expert meeting on Intersex Human Rights
>>> Download PDF (831kb)

>>> Français       >>> Deutsch

Bearing witness to IGM, 71st Session of the UN Cttee on the Rights of the Child:
Vincent Guillot (France), Daniela Truffer (StopIGM.org), Gavan Coleman (Ireland),
Markus Bauer (StopIGM.org, photo) at Palais des Nations, Geneva 13.01.2016

Press Release by StopIGM.org 04.02.2016

StopIGM.org warmly welcomes the historic, binding 2016 “Concluding Observations” of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) for France and Ireland.
Ireland: CRC/C/IRL/CO/3-4, DOC, on Intersex: p. 8-9, paras. 39–40
France: CRC/C/FRA/CO/5, DOC, on Intersex: p. 9–10, paras. 47–48

This marks the first time that the Committee reprimanded two States over IGM practices at once, again recognising non-consensual, medically unnecessary, irreversible, cosmetic genital surgeries and other procedures on intersex children as a “harmful practice” and as “violence against children”.

We particularly appreciate that the Committee specifically called on Ireland to “adopt legal provisions in order to provide redress to the victims of such treatment, including adequate compensation”, and for France invoked their Joint General Comment No. 18 (2014) and No. 31 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on harmful practices, which also contains detailed stipulations regarding legislation and access to justice and redress for survivors, and highlights the necessity of developing a holistic policy.

The fight of intersex people and their organisations for “bodily integrity, autonomy and self-determination” and to eliminate IGM practices is far from over. The CRC’s renewed Concluding Observations however mark an important and most welcome step towards these goals, a sign of hope for intersex children everywhere – and a stern warning for IGM perpetrators and complicit states!

   >>> Minister Denies but Admits! Ireland questioned over IGM – Full Transcript
   >>> Minister Stalls & Diverts: France questioned over IGM – Full Transcript

See also:
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condems IGM

After the Break: The Exact Wording of the Binding Recommendations + Background Info!

Read moreIGM = “Harmful Practice” + “Violence”: UN Reprimands France + Ireland for Intersex Genital Mutilations