Equalities Office announce launch of Variations In Sex Characteristics Call For Evidence
I am in intersex stakeholder for the UK Government Equalities Office (GEO). For many months, along with others, I have been working with a dedicated team at the GEO. Today, I am happy to announce that the GEO launched the Variations In Sex Characteristics Call For Evidence.
This is a remarkable and historic moment because it is the first time the UK Government has sought to record the experiences of people with intersex variations, their families, and the people who support them.
INTERSEX NEWS: The UK Government Equalities Office is launching a call for evidence on the experiences of people with variations in sex characteristics. The 10 week gathering process will spk to ppl with intersex traits & their families/carers and get views on the following: pic.twitter.com/bdBpaJvKKH
— Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) January 17, 2019
Key areas will be: Healthcare, Education, Support Services, Benefits, and the Workplace – this is much needed work because currently many UK intersex people face huge inequalities in numerous aspects of society, including medical interventions such as nonconsensual, nonessential, genital surgeries in infancy and childhood.
In the GEO press release, Baroness Williams, the Minister For Equalities said:
“It is concerning to think that people in the UK may be afraid to visit the doctor or feel unable to take part at school because they are not receiving the support they need or deserve.
"Everyone in this country has a right to an education, healthcare and to go about their daily life without intrusion or fear of humiliation.
"This call for evidence is a chance for us to learn more about people’s everyday lives, and I look forward to hearing more about their experiences.”
Intersex and Variations In Sex Characteristics (VSC) are umbrella terms for those of us who are born with physical variations in our hormones, chromosomes, and/or internal or external genitalia, which do not fit typical definitions of "male" or "female".
There are over 40 variations, amongst which are: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), Hypospadias, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), and Klinefelters.
Recently the UK Government’s intention to launch a call for evidence has been misreported by the media as a "Consultation".
A Consultation is a process of gathering views on Government’s legislative or policy proposals. There are currently no such processes regarding intersex people. In fact, Variations In Sex Characteristics is not even included in the Equalities Act 2010.
The call for evidence is an information gathering process. As a campaigner and leading member of the UK intersex movement, I very much hope that this is the beginning of a process that will lead to a shift towards equality rights for intersex people living in the UK.
The call for evidence is open to everyone, of all ages. For those of you reading this now, who have variations in your sex characteristics: your voice matters.
This is an opportunity for you to let UK Government know what your experiences are. All information will be treated in confidence and with sensitivity.
The call for evidence will run for 10 weeks from the 17 January to 28 March 2019. Once the call for evidence has closed, the Government will review and analyse the responses, and publish a report. Respond to the call for evidence here.
Valentino Vecchietti​ is DIVA's newest monthly columnist – and the first intersex columnist in the UK. Follow her on Twitter @valentinointer
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