Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 19:32:13 +0000 From: Clare Howell Subject: IYF MEDIA ADVISORY -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Editor: Clare Howell, (718) 638-7062 clare@idt.net Contact: cchase@isna.org GLMA ISSUES POLICY ON INTERSEX SURGERY ====================================== [NY, NY: 7 Mar 98] THE BOARD OF THE GAY and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) today passed a resolution establishing a policy on genital surgery performed on intersex children. It calls for medical centers involved in the surgery to develop and conduct comprehensive research on the long-term physical and psychological effects of surgical intervention on children born with ambiguous genitals. Intersex activists, who have been subjected to such surgical intervention, call it Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM). They cite long-term physical and psychological damage done to them as a result of a cosmetic surgery they did not consent to. The GLMA policy is an outgrowth of activism by members of the intersex community and health care providers who are speaking out about IGM. The GLMA policy calls for involvement of the intersex community with health professionals in formulating future procedures for the care of intersex children. It also encourages parents to fully consider various options before making any decision regarding genital surgery. The resolution encourages medical providers "To counsel parents with full disclosure regarding the possible positive and negative effects of surgical intervention, reported risks, the lack of long-term research associated with surgical intervention, and options including no surgical intervention and peer support groups before recommending any such procedure on a child born with ambiguous genitals." Said Cheryl Chase, founder of the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), "We are very pleased that GLMA has recognized that IGM is a problem. ISNA will be working closely with GLMA to identify ways that the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender medical community can help us put an end to medical erasure of sexual difference." ### Subscriptions. Please send: subscribe iyf-online or: unsubscribe iyf-online to: MajorDomo@apocalypse.org For prior press releases, check the GenderPAC website http://www.gpac.org (c) 1996 InYourFace Our on-line news-only service for gender activism. When reposting please credit InYourFace.