UN Free and Equal Campaign publishes Intersex Leaflet

The UN Free and Equal LGBT Campaign has just published it’s first factsheet about intersex.

It’s a short, informative leaflet details the human rights violations intersex people face, and highlights action nations states and institutions need to adopt. These provide a very useful reference for intersex human rights and health issues work.

Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Being intersex is much more common than most people think – according to experts there are as many intersex people as there are red haired people.

Because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatized and subjected to multiple human rights violations, including violations of their rights to health and physical integrity, to be free from torture and ill-treatment, and to equality and non-discrimination.

Such procedures are frequently justified on the basis of cultural and gender norms and discriminatory beliefs about intersex people and their integration into society.

Discriminatory attitudes can never justify human rights violations, including forced treatment and violations of the right to physical integrity.

This information sheet was produced before Jersey’s adoption of Intersex anti-discrimination legislation was confirmed.