Bodies Like Ours Applauds PFLAG For Adopting an Intersex Policy Statement.

Bodies Like Ours salutes the National Board of Directors of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays for adopting a ground-breaking Policy Statement concerning intersex and early, unnecessary genital surgeries. The Policy statement was adopted on Friday, September 27, 2002, during the National Conference held in Columbus, OH. The support of PFLAG on intersex issues is yet another important step in the elimination of non-consensual genital surgeries on infants and children. It also recognizes the overwhelming need for psychological and peer support for intersexed people and their families.

Said Janet Green, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Bodies Like Ours, "PFLAG's Vision Statement includes celebrating diversity and envisions a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse gender identities. Since many medical conditions that result in atypical formation of the genitals also cause a higher incidence of gender variances, their support of a patient centered protocol will further help to end the shame, secrecy and isolation that are directly caused by early cosmetic genital surgeries."

Betsy Driver, Outreach Director and Co-Founder of Bodies Like Ours said, "We look forward to working closely with PFLAG on bringing intersex people and their families peer support, and eliminating the barriers that so many of us face everyday."

To read the Policy Statement, please visit http://www.bodieslikeours.org/recen...PFLAG_2002.html

Janet, Betsy, and Kimberly Saviano, who serves on the Board of ISNA were in attendance at the conference to present a workshop on 9/29/2002.

__________________
Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is. --Margaret Mitchell

Good news is always welcome!

Glenn

Betsy,

I do not want to rain on your parade, and I certainly never want to step on anyone's toes, however I do feel that I need to voice my opinion here. I respect your opinion very much and you have always been so kind in inviting others to speak from their hearts even if it may differ from what you have to say. This news of PFLAG adopting IS issues has made my day very grievous. The reason I am grieving is not merely for myself, since that would be futile, but for all those unborn IS babies. I think that the idea behind PFLAG's support of IS issues and parents of IS children is wonderful, however because this idea is coupled with PFLAG I can in no way support it. I am not speaking only for myself, but for others on an IS support group that I belong to, we have been discussing this issue and about half of the active members feel the same as I do or even stronger. I wholly believe that the repercussions of joining with PFLAG will be enormous. I am in no way trying to put PFLAG down or what they stand for, but what I am saying is that they should not be joined with IS issues. This is my reasoning…Imagine new parents who are told only hours after their child is born that their baby is IS, the medical community does their song and dance trying to force the parents into immediate surgery saying this is the only way the child will be 'normal' and if done now with HRT the child will never even know the difference. (So far this is a very normal case.) Now someone points them in the direction to PFLAG to find out about IS issues, after all, PFLAG has a policy statement on Intersex and they help support parents of Intersexed kids. Automatically the parents will think that since PFLAG is involved it means they child will be gay! Most parents will make assumptions like this without being able to take in the reality of the situation. The majority of new parents never think of their child possibly being gay on the day of their birth, and most parents would not choose a gay life for their child. So now the medical option of surgery, HRT and secrecy and shame seems a lot more appealing then allowing their child to be gay from day one, after all the doctors promise to 'normalize' their child. It seems that the potential ramifications of this union could cause the exact opposite of the intent. I can't imagine anything good happening from this, only many more intersex surgeries on infants, which would cause much more, hurt and distress on all involved.

Hugs and respectfully,
CR