OII member Sophia recently wrote ‘finally there is a degree of understanding that people who do not fit the classical biological definitions of what is male or female are not “dangerous” or “evil” or a “threat to society”’ in reference to the report in Cell on Somatic Sex Reprogramming of Adult Ovaries to Testes by FOXL2 Ablation.
On the evening of Monday 14th December, CSI:Miami series 8, episode 11, Delko for the Defence, was broadcast and it characterized an intersex person as dangerous, evil and a threat to society.
Frame grabs from CSI:Miami episode, Delko for the Defense.
The character Zach is a murderer working in concert with a rapist named Justin. The CSI Miami team discovers that Zach has Androgen Insensivity Syndrome – AIS. One of the investigators declares that the prevalence of AIS is 1:20,000. It is then revealed, via a DNA analysis and an off-screen examination, that Zach does not have male sexual organs. It is not revealed what he actually does have down there, though.
Zach’s motivations for murder are detailed in the episode’s wrap-up. According to the episode recap at tv.com, “Zach confesses that killing women is the only way he could really get close to them, since he can’t have sex with them normally. Justin would rape them, and then Zach would come in and stab them.”
The character, Zach, is like no AIS person we have ever met. The statistic quoted for AIS – 1:20,000 – is nothing like any such prevalence that we have seen for AIS. It is the prevalence most often stated, without any supporting hard evidence, for CAIS – Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome. But our concerns run deeper than this.
The story, the rationale, the character are all deeply problematic. They occur in an environment where intersex people do not have the benefit of anti-discrimination protection, and are subject to non-consensual “normalising” surgeries.
External links:
- CBS Sling - CSI:Miami, Delko for the Defense (may not be available to view outside USA)
- One more complaint, I swear I’ll slap you… – CSI: Miami fails – and this time it’s in a much more serious way than usual.
- The Sling Blog – “CSI: Miami” Episode 8-11: “Delko for the Defense”
