Comments on: [Op/Ed] Stop Erasing Intersex with Yet More Acronyms like GLB(SGD)Q http://oiiaustralia.com/7053/oped-stop-erasing-intersex-acronyms/ Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:07:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: gina http://oiiaustralia.com/7053/oped-stop-erasing-intersex-acronyms/#comment-402 gina Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:54:40 +0000 http://oiiaustralia.com/?p=7053#comment-402 I have reread the article several times and nowhere can I find any place where I have said "Transsexuals who refer to themselves as intersex are self-loathing." Indeed nowhere in the article do I use the word 'transsexual'. I invite you to re-read the article and point me to the place you have in mind. You are free to refer to yourself in any way you wish. Please refer to our article on intersex privilege... http://oiiaustralia.com/concept-of-intersex-privilege/ Your view of your intersex is discordant with the definition of intersex and OII Australia's position. Intersex are people who are born with physical differences of sex. You are describing the manufacture of physical differences of sex by surgical intervention. That is very different to intersex. Ideas that transsexualism may be a kind of intersex, such as those held by Milton Diamond, rely on anatomical brain differences present at the time of birth. Your position is more akin to "intersex by choice" or "intersex by design." OII Australia does not consider that this can be seen in any way similar to intersex by birth where design and choice are absent. A significant difference between intersex experience and transsexual experience is, in the case of intersex, forced sexing, lack of choice in respect of surgery and surgical options, no human rights and no protection at law, whereas transsexuals enjoy some human and legal rights in every state of Australia. Transsexuals are able to choose surgical options within a highly successful medical paradigm which claims a better than 98% success rate, and they have long-term medical supervision and studies of outcomes. Intersex have none of these things. I salute your transsexual pride. Gina I have reread the article several times and nowhere can I find any place where I have said “Transsexuals who refer to themselves as intersex are self-loathing.” Indeed nowhere in the article do I use the word ‘transsexual’.

I invite you to re-read the article and point me to the place you have in mind.

You are free to refer to yourself in any way you wish. Please refer to our article on intersex privilege… http://oiiaustralia.com/concept-of-intersex-privilege/

Your view of your intersex is discordant with the definition of intersex and OII Australia’s position. Intersex are people who are born with physical differences of sex. You are describing the manufacture of physical differences of sex by surgical intervention. That is very different to intersex.

Ideas that transsexualism may be a kind of intersex, such as those held by Milton Diamond, rely on anatomical brain differences present at the time of birth. Your position is more akin to “intersex by choice” or “intersex by design.” OII Australia does not consider that this can be seen in any way similar to intersex by birth where design and choice are absent.

A significant difference between intersex experience and transsexual experience is, in the case of intersex, forced sexing, lack of choice in respect of surgery and surgical options, no human rights and no protection at law, whereas transsexuals enjoy some human and legal rights in every state of Australia.

Transsexuals are able to choose surgical options within a highly successful medical paradigm which claims a better than 98% success rate, and they have long-term medical supervision and studies of outcomes. Intersex have none of these things.

I salute your transsexual pride.

Gina

]]> By: River http://oiiaustralia.com/7053/oped-stop-erasing-intersex-acronyms/#comment-396 River Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:37:17 +0000 http://oiiaustralia.com/?p=7053#comment-396 This was a fantastic read. So glad you wrote this. However, I object to your stance that transsexuals who refer to themselves as intersex are self-loathing. I identify as a transsexual and use that word frequently to describe my gender identity and journey in life. However, I use the word intersex to describe my body. Since I am an FTM in mid-transition, my body is literally neither male nor female. I like that my genitals in specific are intersex, they became that way by taking testosterone, and will remain intersex for the rest of my life and I take pride in that. That doesn't mean I don't also take pride in being a transsexual. Kunce. This was a fantastic read. So glad you wrote this. However, I object to your stance that transsexuals who refer to themselves as intersex are self-loathing. I identify as a transsexual and use that word frequently to describe my gender identity and journey in life. However, I use the word intersex to describe my body. Since I am an FTM in mid-transition, my body is literally neither male nor female. I like that my genitals in specific are intersex, they became that way by taking testosterone, and will remain intersex for the rest of my life and I take pride in that. That doesn’t mean I don’t also take pride in being a transsexual.

Kunce.

]]> By: Morgan http://oiiaustralia.com/7053/oped-stop-erasing-intersex-acronyms/#comment-381 Morgan Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:47:37 +0000 http://oiiaustralia.com/?p=7053#comment-381 Well said, Gina! Well said, Gina!

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