CRC76 > Intersex: Misrepresenting Genital Mutilation as “Health Care”

Zwischengeschlecht.org on FacebookFrom the 2017 CRC Denmark NGO Report (Update for Session) (PDF, p. 4-5):

5. Misrepresenting Genital Mutilation as “Health Care”

Unfortunately, there are multiple, often interrelated harmful misconceptions about intersex still prevailing in public, notably if intersex and IGM are misrepresented as LGBT or SOGI issues. [13] Despite that intersex persons and their organisations have repeatedly spoken out clearly against such misrepresentations, [14] regrettably they seem to be on the rise also at the UN, for example in recent UN press releases and Summary records misrepresenting IGM as “sex alignment surgeries” (i.e. voluntary procedures on transsexual or transgender persons), IGM survivors as “transsexual children”, and intersex NGOs as “a group of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and intersex victims of discrimination” [15] and State parties referring to e.g. transgender guidelines [16] or “Gender Identity Law” [17] when asked about IGM by e.g. Treaty bodies.

An interrelated, alarming new trend is the increasing misrepresentation of IGM as “health-care issue” instead of a serious human rights violation, and the promotion of “self-regulation” of IGM by the current perpetrators instead of effective measures to end the practice. [18] [19] [20] [21]

Therefore, we would like to again urge the Committee to adequately address unnecessary genital surgeries on intersex children justified by psychosocial indications in the forthcoming 76th Session […], and to remind Denmark of its obligations under the Convention art. 24 (3) and Joint General Comment No. 18 “on harmful practices”, in line with the Committee’s previous recommendations and the recommendations to Denmark by CAT […]

>>> ‘Only the Fear of the Judge Will Make IGM Perpetrators Change’

[13]  2017 NGO Submission to SR Disability, p. 4, http://intersex.shadowreport.org/public/2017-SR-Disability-Submission-Intersex-IGM-V2.pdf
[14]  For references, see 2016 CRC UK NGO Report, p. 39, http://intersex.shadowreport.org/public/2016-CRC-UK-NGO-Zwischengeschlecht-Intersex-IGM_v2.pdf
[15]  See https://www.stopigm.org/post/UN-Press-Release-calls-IGM-survivors-transsexual-children-CATArgentina-UNCAT60
[16]  CAT 56 Austria, see https://www.stopigm.org/post/Geneva-UN-Committee-against-Torture-questions-Austria-over-Intersex-Genital-Mutilations
[17]  CAT 60 Argentina, unofficial transcript see https://www.stopigm.org/post/CAT60-Argentina-to-be-Questioned-on-Intersex-Genital-Mutilation-by-UN-Committee-against-Torture
[18]  For example Amnesty (2017), see https://www.stopigm.org/post/Amnesty-Report-fails-Intersex-Children-and-IGM-Survivors
[19]  For example FRA (2015), see Presentation OHCHR Expert Meeting (2015), slide 8, /wp-content/uploads/S3_Zwischengeschlecht_UN-Expert-Meeting-2015_web.pdf See also https://www.stopigm.org/post/IDAHOT-2015-Let-s-Talk-About-Intersex-Appropriation
[20[  For example CEDAW (2017), see, https://www.stopigm.org/post/Major-Setback-for-Intersex-Human-Rights-at-the-UN
[21] See for example Ministry of Health Chile (2016), https://www.stopigm.org/post/Circular-7-step-back-for-intersex-human-rights-in-Chile

 •   2016 CRC Denmark Thematic Intersex NGO Report (for PSWG)
 •   2017 CRC Denmark Intersex Report (Update for Session)

 •   CRC76 Denmark > Intersex children abused as cannon fodder for LGBT politics  

>>> CRPD18 > Misappropriation of Intersex Funding by LGBT Groups
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“You shouldn’t always talk about the surgeries!”
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“Academic Complicity in IGM Practices”  

>>> Intersex human rights at the UN are under attack!!!

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