Two to three intersex children born every year in Iceland
When medical reasoning does not justify the operation they are an unneccessarry and irreversible intervention into a child's body and could have a very negative effect on their physical and mental wellbeing in the future. The newborn baby in the photograph is not related to the subject matter. Mbl.is/ Kristinn Ingvarsson
Intersex children should make their own decisions on surgery or hormonal treatment when they have reached the age and development to make an informed decision. This is part of a written opinion by the Ombudsman of Children in Iceland regarding surgery on intersex babies.
Every year, two or three children are born intersex in Iceland, a term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. There are several examples of surgery having being performed on these babies.
The Ombudsman's opinion is that unneccessary and irreversible intervention in the body of an infant goes against its rights. A child should be given the right to decide for itself whether it wants surgery or hormonal treatment when they have developed their own gender awareness.
"There are examples of surgery performed on intersex babies where their genitals are removed or changed in the purpose of changing the baby's body in accordance with society norms. When medical reasoning does not justify the operation they are an unneccessarry and irreversible intervention into a child's body and could have a very negative effect on their physical and mental wellbeing in the future. It is possible that a "wrong sex" is selected for these children." The statement adds that "we as a society have been working on celebrating diversity and that every individual can have space to be themselves without prejudice. "
Kitty Anderson, chairman of the Intersex Iceland Association agrees with the statements of the Ombudsman of children. She adds that WHO is against operating on these infants and that there is not much difference between these operations and male and female circumcision.
Björt Ólafsdóttir, MP for Bright Future has submitted a formal question to the Minister of Health on whether these operations on intersex children should be allowed, and on the education and counselling offered to the parents of these children.
