StopIGM.org

[…] As “leading scientists in intersex research” (Press Release 9.1.12), surely you are well informed

• that at least one in thousand children are born with “atypical” genitalia, and that according to studies by the doctors themselves, 90% of these children are submitted to “corrective” cosmetic surgeries, without an actual medical need

• that survivors of such surgeries have been denouncing them as “immensely destructive of sexual sensation and of the sense of bodily integrity”, as “western genital mutilation”, “medical crime” and “fundamental human rights violation”

• that stopping cosmetic genital surgery for children remains the first demand of virtually all organisations of survivors from the beginning until today.

[…] The human rights advocacy group Zwischengeschlecht.org is deeply concerned that, at an international & interdisciplinary conference sporting the notions “Intersex” and “Society” in its title, of all things the daily genital mutilations, as well as the voices and concerns of the actual survivors, seem to be disregarded.

In the name of people afflicted or threatened by childhood cosmetic genital surgery, we kindly ask the organisers, speakers and participants to let us know:

1) Are you informed, which institutions directly or indirectly involved in the conference, perform a) which and b) how many cosmetic genital surgeries on children? […]   >>> Fulltext 

Next week, in Geneva the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will debate Intersex Genital Mutilations for the first time.

Time is of essence! We are lobbying the UN Missions and other relevant bodies and ask for your support.

>>> Please help to end 
        intersex genital mutilations!  Thank you!

“11th EMBL/EMBO Conference” Heidelberg, November 6, 2010    –> Open Letter

The history of the sciences of sex, gender and sexual differentiation, including amongst other disciplines, biology, endocrinology, genetics, sexology and gender studies, is inextricably intertwined with the history of the medical crimes committed on hermaphrodites (1).

In the last decade, criticism of abuse of hermaphrodites in the name of scientific theories and research started to emerge by the people concerned, aimed mostly at the new discipline of gender studies (2). In the meantime, this criticism is becoming a topic further explored by criticised themselves, however, up to now still considerably hindered presumably by blind spots of the ‚gender lens‘.

On the other hand, detailed criticism aimed at the ‚hard science‘ disciplines seems almost non existent, let alone empathy from the scientists concerned, despite the obvious and close bi-directional relations, i.e. both with regards to the ongoing medical crimes against hermaphrodites and the published data thereof being part of the foundation of these disciplines, as well as new findings within these ‚purely scientific‘ disciplines inevitably being used by the actual perpetrators to justify and perpetuate their bloody deeds.

No one will ever know, how many lives of innocent hermaphrodite children were irreversibly ruined or even lost by medical crimes in the name of science, how many suffered from mutilated and butchered genitals, loss of sexual sensation, constant pain, horrific scars, massive trauma, suicide, to name just some of most obvious consequences.

>>> Full Text: Open Letter of Concern to 11th EMBL/EMBO Science and Society Conference ‘The Difference between the Sexes – From Biology to Behaviour’ (Zwischengeschlecht.org)

50 min. documentary featuring survivors, a.o. Janet Green and Tiger Howard Devore. Shown worldwide on BBC 1 under the title “Me, My Sex, and I,” and in the US by the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN/Discovery) as “The Truth of My Sex.”

>>> Watch online    >>> YouTube with english and chinese subtitles 

As survivors of non-consensual childhood surgeries, as well as persons concerned grateful for having escaped such surgeries, we are very saddened and concerned about how, as far as we can see, an overwhelming majority of the speakers and Chairpersons at the ‘IV World Congress on Hypospadias and Disorders of Sex Development hosted by the International Society for Hypospadias and DSD (ISHID)’ seems to refuse to listen to their former patients, and instead continue to advocate and perform medically unnecessary cosmetic genital surgeries on children no matter what the consequences for these children. We deeply regret that the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the University College Hospital Education Centre take part in such a questionable endeavour, including the infamous ‘live surgeries’.   >>> continued 

>>> Infopage ‘ISHID 2011’ Protests           >>> Video ‘Three Vigils’ (10:24)  
>>> Flyer A4 (PDF 1.7MB) – TRIGGERWARNING!
>>> Open Letter to ‘ISHID 2011’, RCS, GOSH, and UCH

Peaceful protest outside the Royal College of Surgeons of England, host of ‘ISHID 2011’,
just before the opening of the congress, London September 17th 2011
>>> More Pics of Protest #1 by Behzad @ demotix – Thanks!

>>> Video of Protest #3 by MenDoComplain – Thanks!
>>> Open Letter to ‘ISHID 2011’, RCS, GOSH and UCH
>>> Flyer A4 (PDF 1.7MB) – TRIGGERWARNING!
>>> Genital Mutilators Converging in London, Sparking Protests
>>> 13.9.11: Post on lesbilicious.co.uk – Thanks!

Press Release by Zwischengeschlecht.org, September 17, 2011:

Today marks the beginning of the ‘IV. World Conference of Genital Mutilators in Children’s Clinics’ a.k.a. ‘ISHID 2011’ at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, picketed by survivors remembering the victims and commemorating 15 years of peaceful protests against their tormentors.

For three days, the ruthless docs will propagate and perpetrate their unethical, inhumane and illegal deeds, culminating in a whole day of ‘Live Genital Mutilations’ on Monday, beleaguered by some of their former victims. During their first peaceful vigil today, they will remember the first public protest by survivors against the mutilators organised by the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), when ‘Hermaphrodites with Attitude’ took to the streets picketing the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pediatricians in Boston on October 26th 1996. This first public protest by survivors was announced by a press release titled ‘Hermaphrodites target Kiddie Docs’ – a motto today unfortunately still as up-to-date as 15 years ago …

On Sunday, the London protestors will hand in an Open Letter to the perpetrators of the ‘IV World Congress of the International Society for Hypospadias and Intersex Disorders (ISHID)’ and their local accomplices offering them hospitality and support, amongst others the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. The protests will continue on Monday in front of the University College Hospital Education Centre, where the ‘Live Mutilations’ will be televised for the ‘ISHID 2011’ pedo docs.

The human rights advocacy group Zwischengeschlecht.org demands the prohibition of cosmetic genital surgeries on children and minors and „Human Rights for Hermaphrodites too!“

Kind regards

Daniela Truffer / Zwischengeschlecht.org (President)
Mobile: +41 76 398 06 50

Markus Bauer / Zwischengeschlecht.org (Campaigns)
Mobile: +41 78 829 12 60

https://www.stopigm.org
http://humanrights.4hermaphrodites2.org
Documentation
‘Intersex Genital Mutilations: History & Current Practice’
>>> Download (PDF, 2.4 MB)   [ TRIGGER WARNING!!! ]

STOP IGM Primer:
What everyone should know about Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM)!
>>> Download (PDF, 1.95 MB)      

 

BACKGROUND

One to two in 1,000 children are born with ‘atypical’, ‘ambiguous’, or ‘otherwise deemed unworthy’ genitals. At least 90% of them are submitted to cosmetic genital surgeries and other invasive medical interventions in western children’s clinics—without actual medical need, without evidence of any benefit for the children, but in blatant violation of their human rights. Survivors have been accusing these systematic, massive and irreversible practices as a gross violation of physical integrity and as Western Genital Mutilation for at least 20 years.

On September 17-19, perpetrators of ‘cosmetic genital surgeries’ on children with ‘atypical genitals’ will celebrate ‘IV. World Conference’, culminating in a ‘live surgery’ marathon — while their victims deplore non-consented removal of healthy genital tissue resulting in loss of sensation, and will be protesting ‘gross human rights violations.’

The mutilators wax lyrical about ‘clitoral reductions,’ ‘penile reconstructions’ and other ‘surgical challenges,’ hellbent on ‘correcting’ what they deem ‘too big clitorises’ and ‘imperfect penises’ as quickly as they can, before the parents might start loving their children the way they were born. [1] [2]

The victims call it ‘medical crimes’ and ‘western genital mutilation’ [3], publicly protesting life long trauma, pain and/or loss of s*xual sensation, drawing parallels to female genital mutilation and child s*xual abuse [4]. Accusations, which during the last decade again and again have been backed by human rights experts [5] and honest clinicians alike, perhaps most notably by doctors from Middles*x/UCL [6].

Yet still the majority of pediatric endocrinologists and surgeons turn a blind eye to the victims’ pleas, as well as to the mounting evidence-based data on the negative impact of the unwanted surgeries. Case in point: The ‘IV World Congress on Hypospadias and Disorders of S*x Development’ a.k.a. ‘ISHID 2011.’ [7]

Peaceful pickets lead by survivors will remind the perpetrators that it’s not OK to mutilate defenceless little children. [8]

 
References
Documentation
‘Intersex Genital Mutilations: History & Current Practice’
>>> Download (PDF, 2.4 MB)   [ TRIGGER WARNING!!! ]

STOP IGM Primer:
What everyone should know about Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM)!
>>> Download (PDF, 1.95 MB)

[1] Since 1950, western pediatricians have been advocating and practicing medically not necessary ‘cosmetic genital surgeries’ on defenceless toddlers the sooner the better, taking advantage of overwhelmed and ill-informed parents.
http://humanrights.4hermaphrodites2.org

[2] Until today, the mutilators never succeeded in clinically proving any alledged benefits for the actual ‘patients’, but nonetheless insist on continuing with uncontrolled medical experiments:
‘There is a serious ethical problem here: risky surgeries are being performed as standard care and are not being adequately followed-up. Inters*xuals are understandably tired of hearing that “long-term follow-up data is needed” while the surgeries continued to occur. On this, see especially the guest commentary by David Sandberg, “A Call for Clinical Research,” Hermaphrodites with Attitude (Fall/Winter 1995-1996): 8-9, and the many responses of intersexuals in the same issue.’
Alice Domurat Dreger: ‘”Ambiguous sex” – or Ambivalent Medicine?’, The Hastings Center Report May/June 1998, especially FN 40
http://www.isna.org/articles/ambivalent_medicine

[3] ‘Many human rights bodies have condemned female genital mutilation, defined as the removal of all or part of the clitoris, inner labia, or outer labia.
“Feminizing genital surgery” reduces the size of the clitoris by removing parts of the clitoris. […] Clitoral reduction surgery is thus clearly covered by the definition of female genital mutilation.’
ISNA’s Amicus Brief on Intersex Genital Surgery
http://www.isna.org/node/97

[4] Parallels to Child Sexual Abuse, see:
Tamara Alexander: ‘The Medical Management of Inters*xed Children: An Analogue for Childhood Sexual Abuse’
http://www.isna.org/articles/analog

[5] Parallels to Female Genital Mutilation, see:
Hanny Lightfoot-Klein: ‘Children’s Genitals Under the Knife: Cultural Imperatives, Secrecy, and Shame’ (2007), Chapter Nine: Intersex Surgery: For the Good of Whom?, p 167-176

[6] Evidence based findings about outcomes of cosmetic genital surgeries from Middlesex/UCL, see:
Emi Koyama: Catherine Minto & Sarah Creighton Fan Page
http://www.ipdx.org/articles/minto-creighton.html

[7] ‘IV World Congress on Hypospadias and Disorders of Sex Development’ a.k.a. ‘ISHID 2011’
ishidcongress2011.org

[8] Peaceful Protests + Info against ‘ISHID 2011’:
https://www.stopigm.org
Times and places:
https://www.stopigm.org/pages/London-Protests-ISHID-Genital-Mutilators

London, September 17-19, 2011:
PROTESTS AGAINST “ISHID” GENITAL MUTILATORS
+ Public Info Meetings September 15-16
On occasion of the “IV World Congress on Hypospadias
and Disorders of Sex Development” a.k.a. “ISHID 2011”,
incl. “Live Surgeries”

>>> Times, Dates, Places

>>> Video ‘Three Vigils’ by MenDoComplain – Thanks!
>>> Open Letter to ‘ISHID 2011’, RCS, GOSH and UCH
>>> Flyer A4 (PDF 1.7MB) – TRIGGERWARNING!
>>> Genital Mutilators Converging in London, Sparking Protests
>>> 13.9.11: Post on lesbilicious.co.uk – Thanks!

Contact: info_at_zwischengeschlecht_dot_org
Daniela Truffer +41 76 398 06 50

 

>>> Why we are targetting the ‘9th Joint Intersex Genital Mutilators’ Meeting’

[ Original source: PDF, page 2 [from now defunct LWPES Homepage] | LWPES history paper (PDF) ]

Prof. Dr. Lawson Wilkins (Baltimore) was the ‘inventor’ of systematic early cosmetic surgeries on children born with ‘atypical’ sex anatomies in 1950, and name patron of the [LW]PES, founded 41 years ago, see additional sources above.

(Note the 4th Memorial Lecture 1972 (PDF) also focused on Wilkins and ‘Sex Differentiation’, and it’s autor and Wilkins’ protégé, Alfred Jost contributed as well to the 1958 version of Hugh Hampton Young’s classic genital mutilators’ bible titled “Hermaphroditism, Genital Anomalies and Related Adrenal Diseases” advocating cosmetic clitoris amputations on little girls, while Wilkins contributed the foreword.)

Prof. Dr. Andrea Prader (Zurich) was the motor behind the dissemination of these inhuman and cruel practices on intersex children in Europe, inventor of the infamous ‘Prader Scale’ (1954), founding member of ESPE 51 years ago, and name patron of ESPE’s annual ‘Andrea Prader Prize’.

[LW]PES and ESPE are still the biggest inviting perpetrators’ societes of the ‘9th Joint Meeting of Paediatric Endocrinology 2013’, and propagating Intersex Genital Mutilations a.k.a. ‘DSD Therapies’ is again a prominent feature, sparking peaceful protests in Milan (Italy), September 18-22.

>>> Why we are targetting the ‘9th Joint Intersex Genital Mutilators’ Meeting’ 2013

>>> Lawson Wilkins, Andrea Prader 1950: From Experimentation to Extermination
>>> Lawson Wilkins: “Amputation of the clitoris at the earliest possible time”
to prevent “anxiety in parents”  

Open letter of concern by Zwischengeschlecht.org on occasion of the ‘1st Joint Meeting of the EAU Section of Female and Functional Urology (ESFFU) and the EAU Section of Genito-Urinary Surgeons (ESGURS)’ incl. ‘live surgeries’, Tübingen (Germany) October 6–8 2011:

‘We deeply regret that the Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, renowned for its Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften (IZEW), the Universitätsklinikum Tübingen (UKT) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) take part in such a questionable endeavour, including the infamous ‘live surgeries’, which also regularly have been taking place during the I-IV Symposium für Rekonstruktive Urologie held in Tübingen earlier.’   >>> Full Text 

From intersex.shadowreport.org:

>>> http://intersex.shadowreport.org