Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic partners with interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth to launch Intersex Legislative Advocacy Toolkit
Boston, MA – Today, Harvard Law Schools LGBTQ_ Advocacy Clinic and interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, the nation’s largest intersex rights organization, announced the creation of an Intersex Legislative Advocacy Toolkit for advocates and local and state elected officials nationwide. The Legislative Advocacy Toolkit provides resources and guidance to activists who are seeking to end the practice of performing medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children.
Intersex’ is an umbrella term for the approximately 2% of people who are born with variations in their sex development. Tragically, many intersex infants are still forced to undergo irreversible, medically unnecessary surgeries to ‘normalize’ their bodies without their consent -- and without their families’ full understanding of the risks. The consequences are devastating: individuals forced to undergo these procedures have endured lifelong infertility, intense pain, loss of sensitivity, and psychological trauma.
The Legislative Advocacy Toolkit leverages growing recognition that it is imperative to change practices around these often harmful and unnecessary procedures on intersex children. California, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New York have all introduced similar legislation in partnership with interACT. Separate bills have also been introduced in Texas, Indiana, Iowa, and Connecticut.
The Toolkit includes a practical guide for advocates on how to work with partner organizations and legislatures, as well as other materials for effective advocacy. At this time, bans against affirming, consensual care are coming into effect as a result of legislative attacks against trans youth, taking away bodily autonomy from young people in the LGBTQI community. Prohibiting unnecessary and harmful surgeries on intersex children aligns with the push against these anti-trans bills and continues to center the need for affirming the bodily autonomy of all young people.
“This a critical issue and it touches at the intersection of bodily autonomy, belonging, and so many other values that are crucial for intersex people and the LGBTQ+ movement as a whole,” said Professor Alexander Chen, founding director of Harvard Law School’s LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic. “That’s why Harvard Law School’s LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic is proud to partner with interACT to ultimately empower advocates with additional tools for effective legislative strategy in their states.”
“Intersex rights are not something that many people, even those who care about LGBTQ+ rights, have heard much about,” said Kimberly Zieseleman, interACT’s Executive Director. “Our Legislative Advocacy Toolkit will help other advocates share their stories and leverage their skills and voices to keep intersex kids safe. We want to let them know they belong and ensure they are given the power to make important decisions about their own bodies.”
“As parents of an intersex child, we understand what an overwhelming position families are put in when they’re pressured to choose an irreversible surgery for their child without access to adequate information and choices,” said Stephani Lohman, mother and advocate. “We’re proud that local and state officials across the country are starting to listen to families like ours.”
We launch the Intersex Legislative Advocacy Toolkit in the wake of the first-ever White House Roundtable on intersex rights. As recognition of the need to end the practice of performing medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children continues to grow, our toolkit is a crucial resource for advocates looking to pick up the mantle.