Welcome to the online home of OII Australia – the Australian affiliate of the world’s largest organization of intersex people

by Admin on Wednesday, 4 April, 2012

The term intersex was first used by science in the early 20th century to describe human beings whose biological sex cannot be classified as clearly male or female. An intersex person may have the biological attributes of both sexes or lack some of the biological attributes considered necessary to be defined as one or the [...]

Comment invited on draft OII Australia submission on the SOC-7 and DSM-5

by Morgan on Thursday, 17 May, 2012

We have drafted a submission to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) 7th Standards of Care, and the APA’s draft Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. We’d like to invite feedback on the proposed submission. We’d be grateful for any comments or thoughts by the end of Wednesday 23 May. [...]

Intersexion wins awards at first big screen showing

6 May 2012

The full documentary version of Intersexion has won two awards at its first showing on the big screen. Intersexion won ‘Best NZ Documentary’ and ‘Best Editing’ at the Documentary Edge festival currently taking place in Auckland and Wellington. The people behind the movie, Grant Lahood, Mani Mitchell and John Keir, have told interviewees: The reaction [...]

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NZ Herald: Mani Mitchell on being intersex

26 April 2012

In anticipation of the first showing of a full documentary version of Intersexion, Mani Mitchell has been interviewed by the New Zealand Herald. It’s a great piece, which shows Mani’s humanity as well as Mani’s own perspective on surgery, one that is shared by very many intersex people: She remembers being eight-years-old and going in [...]

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Taking part matters: NSW people and relationships survey, and the Private Lives 2 survey

5 April 2012

The Second NSW Survey Of LGBTIQ People And Relationships is currently looking for responses from intersex and other people: MOST OF OUR COMMUNITIES’ RELATIONSHIPS ARE BASED ON LOVE AND RESPECT. SOME ARE BASED ON ABUSE AND CONTROL This online survey has been developed to gain a better picture of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or [...]

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“A medical condition is only as real as its definition”, Georgiann Davis on DSD in Sociology of Diagnosis journal

28 March 2012

Sociologist Georgiann Davis Ph.D. recently had published her paper on DSD in Sociology of Diagnosis, Advances in Medical Sociology, Volume 12, 155–182. The paper, “DSD is a perfectly fine term”: Reasserting Medical Authority Through a Shift in Intersex Terminology is a hugely important critique and highly recommended reading. The context Even though the diagnosis carried [...]

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New policy on written content

23 March 2012

In our latest board meeting, OII Australia has adopted a new policy on written content, on the web and in print. We’re reviewing all the material on this website and it’ll take some time to make sure everything complies with the new policy, so please bear with us. Please talk to us if you see [...]

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Why intersex is not a gender identity, and the implications for legislation

21 March 2012

The Yogyakarta Principles and numerous Australian federal reports presuppose that intersex people, like gay men, lesbians and transgender people, are included in legal frameworks to protect on the basis of “sexual orientation and gender identity”. This is not the case, and this article attempts to clarify why not. This article also presents some examples of [...]

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Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW supports case for protection of intersex in federal law

20 March 2012

The Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW supports our case for protection of intersex in federal law, and makes a case for protection “on grounds of actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation and/or gender identity”. The Attorney General’s Department has recently consulted on proposals for consolidated Commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation, and on a proposed National Human Rights Action [...]

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OII Australia tenders its resignation from marriage equality campaigner CAAH

14 March 2012

IT is with great regret that we tender the resignation of OII Australia from CAAH - Community Action Against Homophobia. For some years now OII Australia, represented by our president, Gina Wilson, has participated in CAAH’s Campaign for Marriage Equality meetings and actions. We welcomed the opportunity to raise intersex experiences of homophobia and contribute to [...]

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The Project interviews Tony Briffa and Bonnie Hart

14 March 2012

LAST night Australian news and current affairs infotainment television show The Project reported on intersex. Two intersex Australians were interviewed and a doctor was asked to give his views on delaying cosmetic genital surgery and hormone treatment beyond the time of birth until the child can consent to such treatment. The show’s reporters appear to be somewhat confused about intersex, [...]

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7 March 2012 was an historic day for LGBT people at the United Nations Human Rights Council – we seek full and equal intersex inclusion

13 March 2012

ON Wednesday March 7, 2012 the United Nations Human Rights Council held a discussion titled Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity. Here we look at discussion around intersex at the event. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opens the panel discussion UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon did not discuss intersex, he utilised the formula “sexual orientation and gender identity” [...]

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