Intersex UK is an organisation by and for

intersex Intersex people are individuals born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical bina ...

people (those born with

differences of sex development Disorders of sex development (DSDs), also known as differences in sex development, diverse sex development and variations in sex characteristics (VSC), are congenital conditions affecting the reproductive system, in which development of chromoso ...

or variations of sex anatomy) in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. Intersex UK works to protect the bodily autonomy and civil rights of intersex children, adolescents, and their families through government lobbying and educational outreach.

Mission

Intersex UK's mission is to end unnecessary surgeries and normalizing hormonal regimens on intersex infants and adolescents, promote bodily autonomy, and lobby for increased public education and access to identification documents with preferred gender markers.

Advocacy

Physical integrity and bodily autonomy

Co-founder Holly Greenberry spoke at the "first

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. ...

side event on intersex issues" in March 2014, alongside

Mauro Cabral Mauro Cabral Grinspan, also known as Mauro Cabral, is an Argentinian intersex and trans activist, who serves as the executive director of GATE. A signatory of the Yogyakarta Principles, his work focuses on the reform of medical protocols and law ...

and representatives of

Organisation Intersex International Australia Intersex Human Rights Australia (IHRA) is a voluntary organisation for intersex people that promotes the intersex human rights, human rights and bodily autonomy of Intersex rights in Australia, intersex people in Australia, and provides educatio ...

and

Zwischengeschlecht Zwischengeschlecht (literally "between sexes") is a human rights advocacy group campaigning on intersex bodily autonomy issues. The group demonstrates outside medical events where surgical interventions are discussed or performed, engages with th ...

. Greenberry was quoted in a feature in ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' stating: “We are at a tipping point ... Most intelligent human beings would be completely surprised and utterly dismayed at the civil inequality and human rights abuses that healthy intersex children and young adults are facing.”Special report: Intersex women speak out to protect the next generation

, 30 November 2013. Greenberry also appeared with

Abigail Tarttelin Abigail Jane Kathryn Tarttelin (born 13 October 1987) is an English novelist and actress. Her second book, ''Golden Boy'', was described as a "dazzling debut" by Oprah's Book Club. Published in 2013, the book was translated into several languag ...

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

discussing challenges facing the intersex community as well as Tarttelin's novel, ''Golden Boy''.Woman's Hour

Identification documents

Greenberry notes that intersex people in the United Kingdom are not able to change gender shown on identification documents and thus do not have the right to marriage or civil partnerships, however this does not affect all intersex people.Debate surrounds intersex inclusion in the DSM V

Pink Paper The ''Pink Paper'' was a UK publication covering gay and lesbian issues published by Millivres Prowler Limited. Founded in 1987 as a newspaper, it switched to internet-only publication in June 2009. The decision to go online-only was announced ...

, 13 June 2012.

Media work

The organisation also undertakes media work to promote human rights.

References

External links

* {{intersex Intersex rights organizations Intersex medical and health organizations Intersex support groups Intersex rights in the United Kingdom Advocacy groups in the United Kingdom