L.t.r.: Holly Greenberry (Intersex UK), Daniela “Nella” Truffer (StopIGM.org), UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan E. Méndez, Mauro Cabral (Justicia Intersex), Makus Bauer (StopIGM.org).
At the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, the Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT), Juan E. Méndez, presented his ground-breaking report >>> “Torture and Cruel, Inhuman Or Degrading Treatments in Health-Care Settings” (PDF) including several paras addressing IGM Practices (e.g. 77, 76, 88):
2013: UN SR Torture, A/HRC/22/53, 1 February 2013, paras 77, 76, 88: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session22/A.HRC.22.53_English.pdf
77. Children who are born with atypical sex characteristics are often subject to irreversible sex assignment, involuntary sterilization, involuntary genital normalizing surgery, performed without their informed consent, or that of their parents, “in an attempt to fix their sex”, [107] leaving them with permanent, irreversible infertility and causing severe mental suffering.
76. […] These procedures [genital-normalizing surgeries] are rarely medically necessary,[106] can cause scarring, loss of sexual sensation, pain, incontinence and lifelong depression and have also been criticized as being unscientific, potentially harmful and contributing to stigma (A/HRC/14/20, para. 23). […]
88. The Special Rapporteur calls upon all States to repeal any law allowing intrusive and irreversible treatments, including forced genital-normalizing surgery, involuntary sterilization, unethical experimentation, medical display, “reparative therapies” or “conversion therapies”, when enforced or administered without the free and informed consent of the person concerned. He also calls upon them to outlaw forced or coerced sterilization in all circumstances and provide special protection to individuals belonging to marginalized groups.
Zwischengeschlecht.org/StopIGM.org welcomed the report by presententing to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT), Juan E. Méndez,
a) the following documentation on IGM practices:
>>> Download (PDF, 2.4 MB) [ TRIGGER WARNING!!! ]
This documentation contains leaks from notable medical publications 1763-2012, outlining how intersex children and adults have been systematically submitted to medical display, gruesome medical experiments and various forms of genital mutilations on an industrial scale for more than 60 years, and proving that the crimes against intersex people without doubt constitute at least cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or even torture.
A seperate chapter documents in words and pictures the current 3 most frequent medically not necessary, irreversible cosmetic genital surgeries on children with Variations of Sex Anatomy a.k.a. Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM).
>>> Download Documentation (PDF, 2.4 MB) [ TRIGGER WARNING!!! ]
b) together with Ann Tamar-Mattis (Advocates for Informed Choice, AIC), in a private meeting with Juan E. Méndez we discussed a >>> Joint Statement (PDF) by StopIGM.org and AIC addressing some concerns with the report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture.
Be informed – Take part in ending IGM!
STOP IGM Primer:
What everyone should know about Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM)!
>>> Download (PDF, 1.95 MB)
Intersex Genital Mutilations • 17 Most Common Forms
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Historical Overview • What is Intersex? • How Common are IGMs?
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB) >>> Table of Contents
IGM as 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 as a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB) >>> Table of Contents
Thank you for raising awareness and speaking out for everyone that’s been harmed by medical pathology by well meaning but misguided doctors and care givers. Every person needs to be treated, respected and informed about all of their care.