Victoria Moves Towards Banning Forced Medical Procedures And Treatments On Intersex People
"Addressing the human rights and treatment of Victorian children born with variations of sex characteristics has been a long time in the making"
Victoria has announced steps that prioritise self-determination, and improve health choices for people with intersex variations.
A new community paper titled ‘(i) Am Equal’ was announced on Tuesday by State Minister for Health, Ambulances, and Equality, Martin Foley.
He described it as a commitment that ensures “Victorians with intersex variations and their families receive high-quality care and support”.
The aims include better access to resources, tailored health and wellbeing services, and improved treatment options.
As defined by Intersex Human Rights Australia, “intersex people have innate sex characteristics that don’t fit medical and social norms for female or male bodies,” including anatomy or chromosomes, “that create risks or experiences of stigma, discrimination and harm.”
The organisation said coerced or involuntary surgeries and sterilisations “intend to erase intersex traits from individuals.”
One notable change announced is a “mechanism to prohibit deferrable medical interventions modifying a person’s sex characteristics without personal consent.”
“Addressing the human rights and treatment of Victorian children born with variations of sex characteristics has been a long time in the making,” Co-chair of the Victorian Intersex Expert Advisory Group, Tony Briffa said in a statement.
It aligns with a 2013 Senate Report into ‘Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia’ which recommends guidelines should minimise medical intervention on intersex children so they can wield autonomy over their own bodies.
Tasmania was similarly prodded to introduce laws banning non-consensual procedures and treatments on intersex patients in 2019, while the ACT Government will also work on reforms later this year, according to Equality Australia.