EU Commissioner for Equality to open Intersex Conference at DCU
The EU Commissioner for Equality, Dr Helen Dalli will open Intersex 2021- A Vision for the Future hosted by Dublin City University on April 21st and 22nd.
This is the first time that an international, interdisciplinary conference on intersex issues is taking place in Ireland.
The United Nations estimates that 0.5 to 1.7% of the global population are intersex.
Intersex is an umbrella term that includes more than thirty ways the human body is born differently according to its sex characteristics (e.g. hormones, chromosomes, genitalia, and/or sex organs). Some intersex people prefer describing themselves as having a Variation of Sex Characteristics (VSC) or atypical sex characteristics while in medical settings the term Differences of Sex Development is often used.
Usually people who are born this way do not have any life-threatening issues but may require some medical intervention such as hormone treatments.
Speakers at the upcoming conference include human rights campaigner Morgan Carpenter, Co-Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia, creator of the Intersex flag and founder of the Intersex Day Project; Co-Chair of the European Intersex Movement Oll Europe, Kitty Anderson, an Icelandic intersex actvist and advocate who has been described as “a leading voice for the intersex movement” in Europe and Sara R Phillips, Chair of Intersex Ireland.
Speaking in advance Dr Tanya Ní Mhuirthile said,
“This conference continues on an important path that takes intersex/VSC out of the historical confines in the medical space where babies, children, adults and their bodies have been problematised in the quest to “normalise” difference.
Contemporary understandings of intersex/variations of sex characteristics demand more informed and multidisciplinary perspectives. This conference aims to provide an inclusive and diverse platform through which to listen and discuss intersex/VSC for the new decade.”
Working towards an “intersex equal Europe” is the goal identified by EU Commissioner for Equality Dr Helena Dalli and is grounded in the fact that “Equality and non-discrimination are the founding values of the EU."
The Commissioner explained that “Intersex people remain widely invisible and continue to experience gross human rights breaches such as genital mutilation and involuntary medical interventions, in violation of their right to bodily integrity. The European Commission aims to build a Union of equality for all and addresses the equality concerns of intersex people through the measures that are embedded in the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025.”
Dr Ni Mhuirthile added, “We welcome the Commissioner’s pledge to advance research and engagement through “cross sectoral dialogue with diverse stakeholders” as part of her office’s broader remit to advocate for a European-wide approach and commitment for intersex equality. The Intersex Mapping Study at Dublin City University are delighted to offer this important platform to commence dialogue on this important social and human-rights issue.”
Intersex 2021- A Vision for the Future is hosted by Dublin City University and organised by the Intersex Mapping Study at DCU.
The Intersex Mapping Study title is “Mapping the Lived Experiences of Intersex/Variations of Sex Characteristics in Ireland: Contextualising Lay and Professional Knowledge to Enable Development of Appropriate Law and Policy” is funded by the Irish Research Council. The project involves interviewing intersex people, their family members and their partners The project are also engaging with healthcare professionals to learn about what it means to be intersex and how people live with variations of sex characteristics. It also includes an online survey for intersex people who may prefer to anonymously participate in our research.
The Intersex Mapping Study Team: Principal Investigator Dr Tanya Ní Mhuirthile (School of Law and Government) leads the study with colleagues, Prof Anthony Staines and Dr Mel Duffy, School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health and with Dr Maria Feeney, also from the School of Law and Government.