Bodies Like Ours GPAC 2002

Three representatives from Bodies Like Ours attended the conference to address intersex issues and the new patient centered protocol of delaying genital surgeries until the child or patient is old enough to give his or her own informed consent.

There were over 1,000 people involved with gender rights issues at the conference. Many, but not all gender activists are gender expressive and the whiplash effect was obvious in the Hilton Hotel lobby. All are concerned with the overall meaning of gender, and the belief that whatever gender and gender expression means to each individual, it should be protected by law and society.

Betsy Driver, Outreach Director and Janet Green, Executive Director of Bodies Like Ours presented at a workshop on Saturday morning to a full house:

AN INTERSEX PRIMER: Making Babies Into Boys and Girls.
"Intersexuality" includes many conditions in which a person is diagnosed as having ambiguous genitals. Current medical treatment calls for "corrective surgery" and hormonal treatment to produce a "proper" gender and sex. Doctors believe that they can make any child any gender, so long as the child is changed early enough and the genitals look "right". But evidence is mounting that this common "treatment" is harming thousands of intersex infants every year, physically and psychologically. Join an educational session with activists and learn what you can do to get involved."

The panel discussion was moderated by Ellen Feder, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at American University in D.C. Also with us was Dr. Howard Devore, a psychologist and sex therapist with many accomplishments and national media appearances.

We were also able to spread the word about Bodies Like Ours, thanks to Roma Ciolko of ECrew Designs (who helped create our website as well). We had hot-off-the-press (literally) informational handouts for Bodies Like Ours and they found their way into the hands of many people over the weekend.

The rest of Saturday and Sunday, we attended other workshops, and learned how to lobby our representatives in Washington. There are two important bills currently up for vote (read more about them by clicking on the GPAC link below) and on Monday many gender activists descended on Capitol Hill. As residents of NJ, Betsy and Janet headed to the offices of Senators Torricelli and Corzine, and to Congressmen Rush Holt's office. Of course, being that was a Monday, all were still back in their home districts, but we did get to meet with their aides. We also introduced them to the topic of genital surgeries, and left some handouts for the office.

There are some unique alliances that have been created in the gender advocacy movement. Realizing that there is strength in numbers, we have joined together to further our own agendas, lending and gaining support with others in the process.

"No one looks in the classifieds under the heading ACTIVIST WANTED. We are all accidental activists... none of us applied for this job. We become activists because something happens in our lives that so moves us, we
simply must take a stand." --Riki Wilchins, Executive Director of Gender PAC.

GenderPac News Release from the website of the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition
Kindred Spirits from the website of DaleLynn, an intersexed person who has transitioned. This website includes a wealth of information for people born with atypical genitalia and those that transition back to the bodies they were born into.