Screenshot: Article in “the stirrer” featuring IGM survivor and intersex advocate Tony Briffa
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH) is aguably the biggest IGM perpetrator in Australia, regularly mutilating defenceless intersex children not only from Melbourne and Victoria, but also from Tasmania, Western Australia, New South Wales and even New Zealand, see >>> 2018 CRPD NGO Report (PDF, 188kb), p. 9.
Nonetheless, RCH was and is repeatedly allowed to march at the Melbourne Midsumma Pride, and thereby pinkwashing their ongoing crimes perpetrated on intersex children. However, this year IGM survivor and intersex advocate Tony Briffa took a stand, denouncing RCH’s serious human rights violations of intersex kids in ‘the stirrer’:
‘I did not march at Pride March this year – the first time in years.
When I was at Pride last year I was very stressed, anxious and disturbed that the Royal Children’s Hospital – the perpetrators of ongoing abuse of intersex infants and children, and who are yet to apologise for their abuse of the past – were marching.
It was very confronting and distressing. This hospital should not be applauded at a GLBTI event. Where is the consideration and respect for intersex people and what our mental health? How offensive that the RCH would be cheered on while they continue to cut up intersex children and refuse to admit and apologise for their wrongs?
I’m flabbergasted and horrified they are in this space. Yes I get that they do some good for trans kids, but their abuse of intersex kids should not be ignored.’
Not entirely surprising, RCH so far refused to comment on the issue – and unfortunately Midsumma Pride seems to make any tangible steps to address this intolerable situation dependent on a (still missing) response of RCH.
Kudos to Tony Briffa for highlighting Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne’s pinkwashing of their serious human rights violations – and SHAME on RCH for continuing to mutilate intersex kids! When will Midsumma Pride act?
>>> Full article on ‘the stirrer’
See also:
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM
• 29 UN Reprimands for Intersex Genital Mutilations – and counting …
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC): IGM = Harmful Practice + Violence
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Women’s Rights Committee (CEDAW): IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): Violation of Integrity
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!
Intersex Genital Mutilations • 17 Most Common Forms
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Historical Overview • What is Intersex? • How Common are IGMs?
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB) >>> Table of Contents
IGM as a Harmful Practice: 2015 UN-CRC Briefing
• IGM: A Survivor’s Perspective • Intersex Movement History
• What are Variations of Sex Anatomy? • What are IGM Practices?
• IGM and Human Rights • Conclusion: IGM is a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB) >>> Table of Contents
Eliminating IGM practices by holding the perpetrators accountable via well-established applicable human rights frameworks, including Inhuman Treatment and Harmful Practices – Presentation @ UN expert meeting on Intersex Human Rights