Intersex Awareness Day

Intersex Awareness Day
Observed by Intersex community, LGBT communities & allies
Type International
Date October 26
Next time 26 October 2015
Frequency annual

Intersex Awareness Day is an internationally observed civil awareness day designed to highlight the challenges faced by intersex people.[1]

History

The event marks the first public demonstration by intersex people in North America.[2] On October 26, 1996, intersex activists from Intersex Society of North America (carrying the sign "Hermaphrodites With Attitude") and allies from Transexual Menace demonstrated in Boston, outside the venue where the American Academy of Pediatrics was holding its annual conference.[3]

Observance

Intersex Awareness Day is an international day of grass-roots action to end shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.[2][4] The day also provides an opportunity for reflection[5][6] and political action.[7] Between October 26 and November 8, intersex organizations try to bring attention to the challenges intersex individuals face, culminating in the Intersex Day of Remembrance[3] on the birthday of Herculine Barbin, also sometimes known as Intersex Solidarity Day.[8][9][10]

Notable observances

On Friday 25 October 2013, the day before Intersex Awareness Day that year, the Australian Senate published a report on an inquiry titled the Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia.[11] On 11 November 2014, the New South Wales Legislative Council in Australia passed a motion marking Intersex Awareness Day and calling on the State government to "work with the Australian Government to implement the recommendations" of the 2013 Senate committee report.[7][12]

For Intersex Awareness Day 2014, the Senate of the German Land of Berlin issued a statement calling for self-determination for intersex people.[13] Also in 2014, the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, held a visibility event on intersex issues.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Inter Sex Awareness Day". Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Intersex Awareness Day, 2013, Organisation Intersex International Australia, 26 October 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The 14 days of intersex". Star Observer. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Celebrate Intersex Awareness Day: October 26, 2004". Egale Canada. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "So, It's Intersex Awareness Day and What Have We Done?". The Interface Project. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Why Intersex Awareness Day is important". Star Observer. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Legislative Council, Minutes Of Proceedings, No. 16, Tuesday 11 November 2014". New South Wales Legislative Council. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Intersex: Myths and Realities". Transfaith Online. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  9. ↑ GUEST POST: October 26 is Intersex Awareness Day, GLAAD, 26 October 2013
  10. ↑ (German) Am 8. November ist Inter*sex Solidarity Day, IVIM/OII Germany, 26 October 2013
  11. ↑ Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia, Australian Senate, 25 October 2013.
  12. ↑ NSW Legislative Council motion marking Intersex Awareness Day, 2014, Organisation Intersex International Australia, 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  13. ↑ (German) Intersex Awareness Day: Senat fördert Angebote für intergeschlechtliche Menschen, Senate of the Land of Berlin, Germany, 24 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Forum: “Inter visibilidad, Visibility intersex”, Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, October 2014.