Intersex is a general term used to refer to individuals born with, or who develop naturally in puberty, biological sex characteristics which are not typically male or female. That is, a person with an intersex state of natural being, is born with sex chromosomes, external genitalia, or an internal reproductive system that is not considered typical for a male or female. Through out the past 5 decades plus, infants that show intersex traits “at birth” have been “surgically” altered to “fit into a box” of either male or female, even when we know this is irreversible. So what happens when this infant grows old enough to discover they were “wrongly assigned”? Well this is where it gets pretty upsetting. An infant doesn’t have a voice for themselves, and often in the past (and is continuing to this day in many places), it is being hidden from the child and sometimes even the parents; as many have reported… after discovering cover ups in their child’s medical records. Often perfectly healthy parts (such as functional testes were removed. Doctors without any evidence claimed “they will form cancer and are non functioning “. Complete lies when records were later reviewed by the parents. The testes were functional and healthy. The child has now been stripped of one of our most core factors of identity, forced to be raised in the “wrong” sex. The penis “god forbid” didn’t measure up (yes they truly measure a penis, and if it is not large enough, off it goes). We “Must” stop this surgery in the US. It is way past time.
Advocacy Work: With the use of new technology in the mid 1990’s, Intersex persons began discovering each other and finding out that they were not “alone”. This has lead to the advocacy work that has began to “finally” halt the surgeries being done on infants as there is absolutely no evidence of a medical necessity that a surgery even be done. The infant is perfectly healthy. Many would be now left post surgery without the ability to have intercourse, or have painful intercourse. And all are left without the ability to procreate, as many could have and never would fulfill their future dreams to have children (either direction), as their parts were stripped of them. In the US this brutal surgery continues to take place even though it has now been ruled as in Humane and stopped in many other countries over the past few yrs. More and more advice work is needed and at Palms Wellness Center we are working hard to stop the practice of surgical procedures on infants, to allow the child to speak for themselves and let it be known which “sex” or “other” be what they themselves identify as. Guessing does NOT work. It has lead to life long depression, high rates of suicide, isolation, and major depression.
Interview with a Specialist of Pediatric Urology: ” In an interview I did while working on a longitudinal international field study conducted from 1991-2006 I had the opportunity to interview a pediatric surgeon who had witnessed in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s while doing his internship at a Ivy League Medical University (which I promised I’d not disclose his name or the facilities name and will continue to honor all these yrs later), that the number of babies born with notable variances of genital developments (intersex), was from his extensive knowledge (first hand) to be closer to 1:500 …which he was comfortable with me quoting, while also stating, that he was being kind, when he believed it wouldn’t be a far stretch to say it was closer to 1:3oo babies born. However, to this day, the number is frankly “hidden”. The interview was granted to me under very special conditions. That said, he was terrified to speak up (not an exaggeration), as he knew if I disclosed his name his carrier would be over. He had a lot to loose, and his trust in me did not go unrealized. To this day, the numbers in the US are increasing and continue to be hidden from the public.” (Taylor Holder LCSW, Clinical Director (PWC) (All Points In Between: 2006,2007 Rev.)
The USA Lags Behind Again to Continue Oppression:
For a real example, if you travel abroad, you will “often” (more than not) see LGBTI verses the now well known acronym of LGBTQ in the US. Why? Because as of 2022 the medical world is “still” doing what they can to hide the truth about the reality that we have all been created equal and uniquely. And while science has known of the variances outside the oppressive two boxes only system of “male” and “female”, holding full evidence it is… bluntly put “misinformation/lie” , many still believe that the Intersex person is somehow an “insignificant” number and do not “count”. So the work to erase Intersex persons continues on. In recent years the blame of the increased number of naturally healthy born variant persons is being blamed on “environmental” factors, such as dirty water! I wish I was kidding.
History’s Evidence
We can look back as far as the 16th century that intersex persons have always existed. In history Intersex persons in many cultures were seen as “two spirited persons”, and often looked up to, not oppressed. More and more the battle to keep a Childs body integrity in place, as created without fault, has become a well known international battle. We must continue to educate the general public to save these infants and children from what is nothing shorter than barbaric practices all based on a need for the oppression of the sexes. Why are intersex bodies such a threat to others? That I cannot answer, but I can probably assume that it started with “males” dominating the world of science. To include “others” as a sex, erasing the lines between the binary sexes of male and female only is not a threat to the binary, it is a way to achieve the equality which everyone states they want, yet do so by stepping on others? How’s that worked out so far? Not well if you ask many of us.
For the Christian : “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female for you are all one in Christ Jesus. “ – Galatians 3:28
Gabe Laudenbach LCSW 11-22
For More Information and Support for Young Intersex People