StopIGM.org

StopIGM.org has repeatedly exposed and challenged Live Intersex Genital Mutilators, for example in London (2011), Tübingen (2011) and Seligenstadt (2015, see photo).

This weekend, international intersex genital mutilators met in Barcelona (Spain) at the “Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Dpt. of Paediatric Surgery, Dpt. of Paediatric Urology)” for two days of “Live surgery” on children with “Disorders of Sex Development DSD XX”, including 2 surgeries on children diagnosed as “CAH Prader IV” (usually translating to partial clitoris amputation and “vaginoplasty”), and one child submitted to “DSD XX Redo-surgery” (usually translating to more of the same).   >>> Announcement     >>> Programme (PDF)

Live genital mutilators and presenters included well-known perpetrators:

Prof. Dr. Pierre Moriquand (Lyon, France)
Prof. Dr. Nicolas Kalfa (Montpellier, France)
Prof. Dr. Abraham Cherian (London, UK)
Prof. Dr. Peter Cuckow (London, UK)
Dr. Rados Djinovic (Belgrade, Serbia)
Dr. Elena Arana (Barcelona, Spain)
Dr. Laura Audí (Barcelona, Spain)
Dr. Ana Coma (Barcelona, Spain)
Dr. Marino Asensio (Barcelona, Spain)

Unfortunately, this atrocity was allowed to happen unchallenged – because, as per usual, if StopIGM.org does not research, publicly denounce and challenge such perpetrators, no one else will anyway – but instead the perpetrators are simply allowed to continue mutilating defenceless children with impunity! 🙁

How much longer?!

Intersex children at risk of being submitted to IGM deserve better!!!

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

See also:
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘6th I-DSD Symposium’ Copenhagen 2017
• Open Letter of Concern to ’55th ESPE’ Paris 2016
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘6th ISHID Hypospadias Workshop’, Seligenstadt 2015
• Open Letter of Concern to ’53rd ESPE’ Dublin 2014
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘4th WOFAPS’ Berlin 2013
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘9th Joint Meeting’ (ESPE/LWPES) Milano 2013
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘4th I-DSD Symposium’ Glasgow 2013
• Open Letter of Concern to ’51st Annual Meeting of ESPE’ Leipzig 2012
• Open Letter of Concern to ’23rd ESPU’ Zurich 2012
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘ISHID’ Live Genital Mutilators London 2011
• Open Letter of Concern to ‘3rd EuroDSD Symposium’ Lübeck 2011
• Open Letter of Concern to ’11th EMBL/EMBO Conference’ Heidelberg 2010

#UNCRC76 – Danish UN Delegation (non-)answering on intersex, Geneva 15 Sept 2017

«Denmark plans to continue this practice of helping intersex children through genital surgery to overcome functional and practical difficulties, but surgery will always be based on a medical indication, and parents are always involved in the decision regarding the operation.»  >>> Full transcript + video

At the 76th Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), when questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilation, the Danish delegation achieved a rare feat: Both denying and defending the practice at the same time! 

Hm, let’s see:

«Denmark plans to continue this practice of helping HARMING intersex children through genital surgery MUTILATION to overcome PREVIOUSLY NON-EXISTING functional and practical difficulties, but surgery will always be based on a BOGUS medical indication, and parents are always involved LIED TO in the decision regarding the operation.» 

There, Danish UN Delegation, fixed that for ya!

>>> Intersex Genital Mutilation in Denmark: 2016 CRC Report (PDF)
>>> IGM in Denmark – Government Fails to Act: 2017 CRC Update (PDF)
>>> CRC76 > VIDEO + TRANSCRIPT: Denmark Denies + Defends “Practice”!
>>> CRC76 > Denmark: Intersex children abused as cannon fodder for LGBT politics
>>> CRC76 > UN Press Release calls IGM survivors “transsexual children”
>>> CRC76 > Intersex: Misrepresenting Genital Mutilation as “Health Care”

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

Intersex is NOT THE SAME as LGBT or SOGI  «Unfortunately, there are multiple, often interrelated harmful misconceptions about intersex still prevailing in public, notably if intersex and IGM are misrepresented as sexual orientation or gender identity issues. Regrettably, such misrepresentations 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” .»
– 2017 CRC76 Intersex Report Denmark (PDF), p. 3  

Unfortunately, on occasion of the review of Denmark during 76th Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) not only once more an LGBT organisation wilfully instrumentalised the pain and suffering of IGM victims for their own interests – but now again (!) both (!!) the English and the French UN press release issued after the hearing in Geneva just added two more salient examples of the endless onslaught of such harmful and damaging misrepresentations:

While the >>> French UN press release at least also mentioned intersex children, it nonetheless consistently misrepresented intersex genital mutilation as an alleged form of “discrimination against transgender and intersex children” (“discrimination dont sont victimes les enfants transgenres et intersexués au Danemark”).

Even worse, the >>> English UN press release didn’t even bother to name intersex children at all, but instead misrepresented IGM survivors as “transsexual children who underwent difficult treatments and surgeries”!! 

On top of all this, both press releases also entirely omitted the revealing (non-)answer of the Danish delegation, stretching credibility beyond belief by both denying and defending IGM at the same time: «Denmark plans to continue this practice of helping intersex children through genital surgery to overcome functional and practical difficulties, but surgery will always be based on a medical indication, and parents are always involved in the decision regarding the operation.»  >>> Full transcript of CRC67 Intersex Q&A Denmark

Instrumentalising Intersex Is NOT A Victimless Crime!

How much longer?!

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

>>> Intersex Genital Mutilation in Denmark: 2016 CRC Report (PDF)
>>> IGM in Denmark – Government Fails to Act: 2017 CRC Update (PDF)
>>> CRC76 > Intersex: Misrepresenting Genital Mutilation as “Health Care”
>>> CRC76 > Denmark: Intersex children abused as cannon fodder for LGBT politics

>>> CAT60 Argentina > UN Press Release calls IGM “sex alignment surgeries”,
        IGM survivors “transsexual children”! Guess why 🙁
>>> CRPD18 UK > Misappropriation of Intersex Funding by LGBT Groups
>>> Amnesty Report fails Intersex Children and IGM Survivors
>>> Australia > LGBT group misappropriating intersex funds – again! 🙁
>>> “You shouldn’t always talk about the surgeries!”
>>> “Academic Complicity in IGM Practices” 

«Denmark plans to continue this practice of helping intersex children through genital surgery to overcome functional and practical difficulties, but surgery will always be based on a medical indication, and parents are always involved in the decision regarding the operation.» 
                       — Danish UN Delegation, Geneva 15 June 2017

>>> Intersex Genital Mutilation in Denmark: 2016 CRC Report (PDF)
>>> IGM in Denmark – Government Fails to Act: 2017 CRC Update (PDF)
>>> CRC76 > Denmark: Intersex children abused as cannon fodder for LGBT politics
>>> CRC76 > UN Press Release calls IGM survivors “transsexual children” 
>>> CRC76 > Intersex: Misrepresenting Genital Mutilation as “Health Care”

UN-CRC 76th Session @ Palais Wilson, Geneva 15.09.2017, 09:51h: Getting ready …
(Left row, 3rd from front: Mr. Hatem Kotrane who asked the question on intersex.)

At the 76th Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Denmark is questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations, with hopefully tough questions on intersex and IGM on
Fri 15.09.2017 10-13h CET + 15-18h CET
>>> Archived VIDEOS: Session1 | Session 2

StopIGM.org was reporting LIVE from Palais Wilson, hoping for tough questions on IGM practices!

Session 1, Fri 15.09.2017, 10-13h CET

10:37h: (Video @ 38:20)YAY!! CRC expert and member of the Task force on Denmark, Ms. Mikiko Otani, raises harmful practices, mentions treatment of intersex children as a concern of the Committee, announces a collegue will ask a question later! 🙂
   

12:46h: (Video @ 2:47:15) YAY!! Committee expert and Task force coordinator, Mr. Hatem Kotrane, asks about treatments of intersex children which are nor medically necessary and irreversible. What measures are planned, also regarding access to redress for victims?
Unfortunately, the english UN simultaneous translation partly mixed up intersex and trans :-/
Inofficial translation of the original question in french, correcting some omissions and mistakes in the simultaneous translation:

«Concerning the latter children [i.e. intersex children], they are treated shortly after birth to quote-unquote “normalise” their genital organs and to be able to attribute a sex to a child.

Treatments involve surgical or hormonal treatments. Necessary clinical tests are described in instructions to hospitals and the medical team is called upon to work very closely with parents to determine the sex of the child. However, the treatment as we know takes place without the consent of the child because the child is too young to express an opinion.

There is very little understanding or knowledge about the physical and psychological treatment over the long term of this kind of treatment as well as consequences when children are not treated because there is very little research carried out in this area. So the Danish practices doesn’t include any systematic follow-up on the children, their development, their well-being and effects of the treatment.

We’re worried also that the medical practice allows for treatments that are irreversible and which are not based on medical reasons Such practices might be disproportionate vis-à-vis the child and his or her right to physical integrity and to be heard in all matters that affect him or her.

So our question is: What measures have been considered by the government to deal with all of these difficulties and also to undertake investigations into incidents of medically unnecessary operations on intersex children without informed consent, as well as to adopt provisions in order to provide redress for children who are the victims of such treatment, including adequate compensation?»

Session 2, Fri 15.09.2017, 15-18h CET

16:56h: (Video @ 01:56:30) An undisclosed Delegation member (non-)answers on surgical and other procedures on intersex children on behalf of the Ministry of Health, issuing another full denial: While claiming there are no exact records on surgical treatments of children with D$D, allegedly only 1 child per year is born with ambiguous genitalia in Denmark, however for these these “extremely rare cases” there are no less than 3 specialised hospitals …. Parents are allegedly “extensively” informed before “consenting” to surgery, which is is allegedly never solely cosmetic, but always medically indicated. “Denmark intends to continue this practice.” (The question about measures to ensure access to redress for IGM survivors was simply ignored.) Inofficial Transcript:

«I will move on to an entirely different question, the question from earlier this morning on surgical and other procedures on intersex children before they are at an age where they’re able to provide informed consent.

In Denmark there is no exact record of the number of children who have been treated for DSD, Disorders of Sex Development, as DSD can cover up to 50 different diagnoses. In Denmark it’s forbidden for doctors to make irreversible interventions on children if there is no informed consent from the parents. The parents therefore receive extensive information and are always involved in the decision regarding the operation.

Approximately one child each year is born with ambiguous genitalia in Denmark. In this extremely rare case where there is doubt about the sex of the child a paediatrician will carry out further examination including diagnostic imagening and chromosome analysis. The determination of the sex of the child is carried out in close dialogue with the parents of the child and will be based on the needs of the child. Interventions are never done solely for cosmetic reasons but are always performed on a medical indication. Surgical intervention on the sex characteristics is not performed on infants in Denmark.

Denmark plans to continue this practice of helping children through surgery to overcome functional and practical difficulties, but surgery will always be based on a medical indication. Dissemination and treatment of DSD conditions are centralised in three highly specialised departments at three different hospitals to ensure that children and adults with DSD receive the best possible support and treatment.»

17:57h: Session closed. Due to time constraints there were no follow-up questions on intersex.

«Denmark plans to continue this practice of helping HARMING intersex children through genital surgery MUTILATION to overcome PREVIOUSLY NON-EXISTING functional and practical difficulties, but surgery will always be based on a BOGUS medical indication, and parents are always involved LIED TO in the decision regarding the operation.» 
There, Danish UN Delegation, fixed that for ya!

>>> Intersex Genital Mutilation in Denmark: 2016 CRC Report (PDF)
>>> IGM in Denmark – Government Fails to Act: 2017 CRC Update (PDF)
>>> CRC76 > Intersex: Misrepresenting Genital Mutilation as “Health Care”
>>> CRC76 > Denmark: Intersex children abused as cannon fodder for LGBT politics 
>>> CRC76 > UN Press Release calls IGM survivors “transsexual children” 

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

See also:
• 24 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condemn IGM
• 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) condemns IGM
• 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments for IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

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

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)

From 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
>>> “You shouldn’t always talk about the surgeries!”
>>> “Academic Complicity in IGM Practices”  

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

The onslaught never stops: Virtually every time StopIGM.org takes part in an UN Treaty body session, we’re confronted with one or more trans or LGBT NGOs instrumentalising the pain and suffering of intersex children submitted to IGM as a means to their own ends, and – hand in glove with state parties constantly pinkwashing IGM practices when questioned by UN Committees – seriously damaging intersex human rights at the UN in the process.

Typical examples of big-money agencies and NGOs exploiting IGM for LGBT politics include UNFE New York, Amnesty London, EU-FRA, and ILGA. “Insight” Ukraine is another typical example of a national LGBT organisation and ILGA member abusing intersex children as cannon fodder for LGBT politics at the UN.

But there are also countless comparably smaller trans and LGBT NGOs – though still with budgets many times bigger than those of intersex NGOs – routinely misrepresenting IGM as “necessary medical assistance and health care” at the UN. – Check.

LGBT Denmark: Exploiting intersex children – Shame on you!

The above quote is from today’s salient example on occasion of the review of Denmark next Friday 15.09.2017 at the 76th session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC):

A Report by “LGBT Denmark – The Danish National Organization for Gay Men, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgender persons”, obviously without intersex representation or mandate, and a member of ILGA Europe.

Let’s unpack it:

• The “LGBT Denmark” report is (of course) NOT entitled e.g. “The rights of gay boys, lesbian girls and transgender children in Denmark”, but instead (anyone guessed?) “The Rights of LGBTI Children in Denmark”. – Check.

• The report further alleges the concerns of intersex children and IGM victims alike would be basically the same as those of transgender persons seeking consensual surgery but facing “challenges in regard to access to healthcare”. – Check.

• While the report has to be commended for raising the fact that the UN Committee against Torture (CAT) already reprimanded Denmark for IGM practices, the report fails to reference any intersex NGO report that provided the evidence leading to the reprimand. – Check.

• IGM is NEVER adequately adressed under genital mutilation and harmful practices (CRC art. 24(3) in conjunction with General comment No. 18) – in fact NONE of this is mentioned NOWHERE in the whole report. – Check.

• Instead correctly addressing IGM under genital mutilation and harmful practices, the report instead misaddresses IGM under (who’d’a thunk?!!)“LGBTI children and the health system (Article 24 & 37).” – Check.

• This only section addressing IGM is a ‘combined’ section on the “serious mental and physical health issues particularly for trans* and intersex persons.” – Check.

• The (always) first part of the “combined health section” is on “trans* children” and contains recommendations on the “treatment of trans* children.” – Check.

• The (always) second part of the “combined health section” is on “Intersex persons” – but contains NO recommendations on intersex children, e.g. to take effective legal and other measures to protect intersex children from IGM and guarantee access to redress and justice to victims. – Check.

• Instead of any actual intersex recommendations, the 2nd “intersex” part of the “combined health section” recommends (you probably guessed it) “to ensure that procedures and practices within the public health care systems take into account the particular needs and vulnerabilities of LGBTI persons […], and to ensure the highest attainable standard of health to all children.” – Check.

Conclusion: BINGO!!! Yet another LGBT NGO shamelessly abusing the pain and suffering of intersex children as a means to an end for LGBT politics and their own gain! – Shame on you!!!!!

How much longer?!!

>>> UN Press Release calls IGM survivors “transsexual children”!

>>> CRPD18 > Misappropriation of Intersex Funding by LGBT Groups
>>> “You shouldn’t always talk about the surgeries!”
>>> ‘Only the Fear of the Judge Will Make IGM Perpetrators Change’
>>> “Academic Complicity in IGM Practices”  

>>> Intersex human rights are under attack!!!

After the break this blog documents the the entire section on IGM and the non-recommendation within the “LGBT Denmark” report (p. 4, 5-6), exploiting intersex children [WARNING!!!]:

Read moreUN-CRC76 > Denmark: Intersex children abused as cannon fodder for LGBT politics

>>> Partial Translation of the “Tribune de Genève” Article with Dr Blaise Meyrat

Unfortunately still bears repeating (10):

Misrepresenting Intersex Genital Mutilation as a “health care issue” and merely calling for “self regulation” by doctors and health ministries (as e.g. advocated by Amnesty London) won’t stop IGM, and neither will toothless laws or regulations without actual consequences for both perpetrators and accessories (like in Malta, Argentina or Chile).

Only adequately sanctioning or criminalizing IGM, incuding suspension or extension of statutes of limitations to ensure access to justice and redress for adult survivors will make a difference!

IGM is a CRIME and a Serious Violation of Non-Derogable Human Rights, NOT ‘Health Care’!

See also:
– “You shouldn’t always talk about the surgeries!”
– “Academic Complicity in IGM Practices”
– WTF?! Nothing “Normal” About Intersex Genital Mutilations!
– Intersex Genital Mutilation is a Crime, NOT “Health Care”!!!

>>> Intersex human rights are under attack!!!

An important but too often overlooked intersex issue is what the trauma of early childhood IGM does to the survivors, how it prevents us from actually looking at was done to us, and even worse, how it prevents us from holding perpetrators accountable.

The following is a piece I wrote on this subject, first published in German on Zwischengeschlecht.info 9 years ago:

I can’t forget a story. It’s Don Bajema’s “Dog Party” about a boy who loved dogs.

Dogs had an excessive attraction on him. Nobody knew why. He was a strange boy, with a strange smile, his arms covered with bleeding bites and scratches. He followed all the dogs in the district, lured them, waited for hours, until he caught one. The dogs knew what he wanted to do, were afraid and hid. But at some point they got careless, let themselves be baited with food and finally just hoped that the boy wouldn’t really do it. They were wrong.

The boy caught them, caressed the dogs trembling with fear, talked very softly to them, and carried them to the water barrel. Then he pushed them under water. They wriggled madly and fought desperately for their life, endlessly long. And at the moment, when they already were on the other side, when their bodies stopped fighting and only twitched, the boy saved them. He pulled them out oft he water, hold them upside down, let the water run out of the muzzle and nose. A small light seemed to be ignited behind the dog’s eyes, as they realised where they were. They looked into the boy’s smiling face. The boy placed them on the floor, they were too weak to move. He laid beside them, caressed them, put his arms around them.

The dogs thought that the boy had saved them, although they always would be afraid of the green water hose and the water barrel in the future. They wanted to believe that the boy had saved them. It was easier than to admit to themselves what they boy really had done. They let their memory begin with the smile in the boy’s face. The dogs loved him. Really. They followed him everywhere.

We humans are like those dogs. If something which was done to us is too terrible, we repress it. We hide what we can’t bear. It’s awful to be a victim, unbearable. That’s why each victim looks for something good in their perpetrator, to feel less as a victim. That’s one reason why most perpetrators continue getting away scot-free.

And if nevertheless one day a victim stands up and shouts out the unbearable truth and accuses the perpetrators, then the other victims are the first to silence the one standing up. Because most of them don’t really want to take action against the perpetrators, for then they would have to admit to themselves the terrible truth:

They tried to kill me to save my life.

Nella

[In case anybody should be wondering about “Stockholm” in the title: it refers to the “Stockholm Syndrome”.]

See also:
– Why I can’t be at the 4th Intersex Forum (4IIF)
– “You shouldn’t always talk about the surgeries!”
– “Academic Complicity in IGM Practices”
– IGM: An Analogue to Childhood Sexual Abuse
– WTF?! Nothing “Normal” About Intersex Genital Mutilations!
– Intersex Genital Mutilation is a Crime, NOT “Health Care”!!!

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

When the Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Theresia Degener, at the 18th CRPD Session in Geneva unmistakably and publicly criticised denial of IGM and misappropriation of intersex funds in the UK, the globally widespread practice of misappropriation of intersex funding by LGBT organisations and the interrelated issue of misrepresentation of intersex as an LGBT issue suddenly entered the spotlight.

This groundbreaking development was only possible because the UK Intersex NGO Coalition Report for the Session documented evidence of misrepresentation of intersex and misappropriation of intersex funding in the UK, and particularly in Scotland. The following is the relevant section from the report:

4.  Misrepresentation of Intersex as LGBT issue, Misappropriation of Funding

As noted in our PSWG NGO Report (p. 7), intersex persons and their organisations have spoken out clearly against misrepresenting intersex as an LGBT or SOGI issue, and in particular against instrumentalising intersex as a means to an end by LGBT groups, and against pinkwashing of IGM by State parties trying to deflect from criticism of involuntary intersex treatments, maintaining that IGM practices present a distinct and unique issue constituting significant human rights violations, which are different from those faced by the LGBT or SOGI community, and thus need to be adequately addressed in a separate section as specific intersex issues.

Nonetheless, the pervasiveness and persistence of such harmful misconceptions remains, as illustrated for example in two recent UN press releases misrepresenting IGM as “sex alignment surgeries” (i.e. voluntary procedures on transsexual or transgender persons), and IGM survivors as “transsexual children”, [53] and State parties regularly referring to e.g. transgender guidelines [54] or “Gender Identity Law” [55] when asked about IGM by e.g. Treaty bodies.

South Africa [56] and France [57] are still the only States officially recognising IGM constituting a harmful practice, but so far without enacting legislation accordingly. Malta [58] and Argentina [59] are still the only countries formally banning IGM, but both without any sanctions or known progress. Human rights agencies reports regularly fail to identify the most important applicable human rights frameworks, [60] and only call for legislation regarding “Gender Identity Registration” and “Discrimination”, but fail to do so in order to end IGM practices and the impunity of the perpetrators and accessories, thus perpetuating the harmful stereotypes, appropriation and colonisation of intersex politics, and erasure of IGM and IGM survivors and their legitimate concerns and demands. [60] [61]

A current UK example of LGBT groups talking for intersex persons and their organisations without consultation or representation is the Scottish Pink Saltire Video “Introducing Intersex” [63] also promoted by the Scottish DSD Network, [64] which was financed by the Scottish Lottery Fund, [65] and in which intersex is “introduced” and explained exclusively by non-intersex persons and organisations including Pink Saltire, Equality Network Scotland, and the Scottish DSD Network, while intersex persons and their organisations were neither consulted nor represented.

So far Scotland is the only UK country with a budget for funding intersex awareness raising with at least “£135,000 for intersex work”, however paid out exclusively to LGBT organisations. [66] [67]

So unfortunately while the Scottish Government and the Scottish political parties publicly strive to address “specific intersex-related equality and human rights concerns”, [68] in fact they only do so regarding issues marginal to most intersex people like e.g. “hate crimes against non-binary or intersex people” [69] and “update[ing] the Gender Recognition Act 2004 […] to alter the law to make better provisions for […] specifically non-binary and intersex people”, [70] regarding the main issue of IGM they steadfastly keep funding and supporting the doctors and clinics responsible for continuing the practice.

[53]  For relevant excerpts and references, see https://www.stopigm.org/post/UN-Press-Release-calls-IGM-survivors-transsexual-children-CATArgentina-UNCAT60
[54]  CAT56 Austria, see https://www.stopigm.org/post/Geneva-UN-Committee-against-Torture-questions-Austria-over-Intersex-Genital-Mutilations
[55]  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
[56]  CRC74 Constructive dialogue, unofficial transcript: https://www.stopigm.org/post/LIVE-South-Africa-Questioned-Over-Intersex-Genital-Mutilations-by-UN-Committee-on-the-Rights-of-the-Child
See also Mail & Guardian (27.10.2016), https://mg.co.za/article/2016-10-27-00-sa-joins-the-global-fight-to-stop-unnecessary-genital-surgery-on-intersex-babies/ 
[57]  See https://www.stopigm.org/post/France-condemns-mutilations-of-intersex-children-proposes-prohibition 
[58]  See https://www.stopigm.org/post/Intersex-politics-that-ignore-the-daily-mutilations-PINKWASHING-OF-IGM-PRACTICES
[59]  See 2017 CAT Argentina NGO Report, p. 10, 13–14, http://intersex.shadowreport.org/public/2017-CAT-Justicia-Intersex-Zwischengeschlecht-IGM.pdf
[60]  See submission to SR-Disability, p. 5-6, http://intersex.shadowreport.org/public/2017-SR-Disability-Submission-Intersex-IGM-V2.doc 
[61]  For example FRA (2015), see Presentation OHCHR Expert Meeting (2015), slide 8, /wp-content/uploads/S3_Zwischengeschlecht_UN-Expert-Meeting-2015_web.pdf
[62]  For example Amnesty (2017), see https://www.stopigm.org/post/Amnesty-Report-fails-Intersex-Children-and-IGM-Survivors
[63]  Pink Saltire, “Introducing Intersex”, 22.03.2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onRPZEPDoPs Note: The Rapporteurs can NOT endorse this video as it was made by third party groups without consultation and representation of intersex persons and their organisations.
[64]  See “Introducing Intersex”, http://www.sdsd.scot.nhs.uk/support/
[65]  See https://pinksaltire.com/2016/10/08/do-you-know-what-the-i-means/
[66]  “Equality Network funding includes £600,000 for the work of Scottish Trans, representing an increase of 53% on previous funding, and in recognition of the huge increase in demand for trans services, including a Scottish Government gender recognition consultation expected in the Autumn, as well as £135,000 for intersex work.”, see Pink Saltire, “Big Four LGBT Charities in Government Funding Windfall”, https://pinksaltire.com/2017/06/28/big-four-lgbt-charities-in-government-funding-windfall/
[67]  See also £45,000 for “intersex project” paid out to Equality Network, http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Equality/Funding/funding/EqualityFunding
[68]  https://beta.gov.scot/policies/equality/lgbti/
[69]  https://pinksaltire.com/2017/06/10/scots-lgbt-hate-crime-reaches-new-high/
[70]  https://pinksaltire.com/2016/09/01/nhs-under-strain-as-gender-identity-demand-surges/

>>> CRPD18 > Chair criticises misappropriation of intersex funding in Scotland
>>> TRANSCRIPT+VIDEO: UK questioned over IGM – Gov lies, denies, pinkwashes!
>>> CRPD18 > Testimony to Intersex Genital Mutilation in the UK
>>> UK CRPD Intersex NGO Report for Session
>>> UK CRPD Intersex NGO Report for LOIs

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

CRPD Chair Theresia Degener talking straight @ Palais des Nations, Geneva 24.08.2017

WOW!! Theresia Degener, Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), on the UK denial of IGM and misappropriation of intersex funds!
>>> Full transcript and video

«[…] I would like to thank the Distinguished Delegate from Scotland for taking up the intersex subject, the subject of intersex persons, because when I listened to your answers yesterday, I thought there was a misunderstanding because […] the answers related to female genital mutilation, but I was talking about intersex genital mutilation. And in regard to that I think while it is commendable to give 45’000 pounds to LGBTI community, it does not mean that this money reaches intersex persons and that the harmful practices which I mentioned yesterday, which this Committee and other Treaty Body Committees consider as ill-treatment and in some instances as torture, will be stopped, and I’m afraid that giving some money to civil society is not enough in order to stop serious human rights violations.»

(For more info on the misappropriation of intersex funds in the UK, see Intersex NGO Coalition Report for the Session DOC | PDF, p. 12-14.)

>>> TRANSCRIPT+VIDEO: UK questioned over IGM – Gov lies, denies, pinkwashes!
>>> CRPD18 > Testimony to Intersex Genital Mutilation in the UK
>>> UK CRPD Intersex NGO Report for Session: DOC | PDF
>>> UK CRPD Intersex NGO Report for LOIs: DOC | PDF

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