WHEREAS, NOW has recognized that reproductive freedom is more than access to safe and legal abortion and birth control, and that it includes freedom from unecessary hysterectomy, involuntary sterilization, and other medical procedures performed without the proper informed consent of the patient; and

WHEREAS, at least one in every 2,000 children - primarily girls - are born with atypical sexual anatomy and, before they are old enough to choose for themselves or provide informed consent, are frequently subjected to invasive hormonal and surgical procedures to make their bodies more closely resemble doctors' ideas of "normal" female appearance; and

WHEREAS, the parents of intersex girls are rarely given full, fair, and accurate information about their daughters' conditions, the risks involved in medical procedures, or referrals to supportive information and groups; and

WHEREAS, many intersex girls grow up hurt, isolated, and ashamed due to the procedures carried out on them and the subsequent violations of their bodies without their choice or consent; and

WHEREAS, in recent years many intersex women have come forward to report that the medical interventions they sustained without their choice or consent have been a source of profound psychological, physical, and sexual harm to them; and

WHEREAS, the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) and GenderPAC have worked to end secrecy and shame surrounding the unwanted genital surgeries performed on intersex girls, and to promote recognition of intersex girls' right to choose and be fully informed about medical decisions involving their bodies and genitals:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW support GenderPAC and ISNA in the struggle to end secrecy and shame surrounding intersex women and girls and to promote intersex girls' right to choose and be fully informed on medical decisions involving their bodies and genitals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW support and uphold intersex girls right to choose and be fully informed regarding cosmetic medical procedures involving their bodies and genitals; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NOW urge the medical community, in conjunction with patient advocacy groups, to establish and adopt a patient-centered protocol under which full, fair, and accurate information, supportive information and resources, and referrals to groups or adult intersex women are provided to the parents of intersex girls.

***********************
Resolution approved and adopted by the 2001 NOW Convention in Philadelphia on July 1st, 2001.