International Intersex Activism

Last month, activists from Intersexuelle Menschen e.V., an international organization representing several intersex advocacy groups, protested outside of the Children’s Hospital in Zurich. It looks a lot like the protests ISNA organized in 1996 outside the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Protestors in Zurich carried signs that read ”Human rights for zwitters too.” Apparently “zwitter” is pejorative term for hermaphrodite that activists have reclaimed. (They also held a protest in Cologne in December 2007.)

On July 20th, this group, along with XY Frauen, presented a lengthy report to the UN CEDAW committee (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) outlining human rights violations stemming from the medical treatment of intersex conditions. More information is here. The day before, Intersexuelle Menschen e.V. also submitted a list of demands to the the German Parliament.