Welcome! About us…
We are a national charity by and for people with innate variations of sex characteristics. We promote health, human rights and bodily autonomy. Find out more about us and the population we work for.
Resources
Browse key InterAction and selected third-party resources. From early 2021, our key resources on this page are regularly updated and reviewed by a subcommittee of our staff and board.
Funding for intersex human rights and community development work
GATE and American Jewish World Service have published a first-ever report on funding for the intersex movement, and the transgender movement. The results are shocking for intersex community controlled organisations.
The State of Intersex Organising report, 2024
The third edition of “The State of Intersex Organizing” has been released today. It identifies significant gaps in funding and resources, with an impact on the work of the intersex movement.
AHRC: Ensure health and bodily integrity for people with intersex variations
Intersex Human Rights Australia and Equality Australia have today welcomed the findings of a landmark report by the Australian Human Rights Commission on protecting the human rights of intersex people in medical settings.
Intersex for allies
How can you act as an ally to intersex people? This page contains introductory information and video resources.
Bioethicists and paediatric surgeons debate intersex medical interventions
A debate recorded at the 2020 Melbourne Medical Student Conference between paediatric surgeons John Hutson and Sonia Grover, and bioethicists Morgan Carpenter (IHRA) and Clare Delany.
Bodily integrity
We all have a right to bodily integrity, to not be subjected to invasive or irreversible medical procedures that modify sex characteristics, unless necessary to avoid serious, urgent and irreparable harm.
Body shaming is an intersex issue
Body shaming is an intersex issue, perhaps even more than any other issue. This post intersperses quotations about intersex infants and children with quotations about the bodies of public figures.
Intersex people and the Australian census
The 2016 and 2021 censuses sought to capture data on people with innate variations of sex characteristics (intersex variations/differences of sex development), but they did so in ways that were harmful and that did not produce reliable, meaningful data. We have an opportunity to do better in the 2026 census.
Clinical guidelines
Are clinical guidelines enough to eliminate human rights violations against people with innate variations of sex characteristics in medical settings? Reviewing the evidence, we believe they are inadequate, and their prerequisites do not exist.
Clinical opposition to early intersex medical interventions
Clinicians are increasingly raising their voices in opposition to forced and coercive interventions, including Physicians for Human Rights and the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association. More action is needed – particularly in Australia.
The context and goals of the intersex movement in Australia
Social Sciences journal has published a peer-reviewed perspective on the context and goals of the intersex movement in Australia, by Dr Morgan Carpenter.
Intersex people and COVID-19
All populations that suffer health inequalities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and people with intersex variations are no exception.
Darlington Statement
The Darlington Statement is a joint consensus statement by Australian and Aotearoa/New Zealand intersex organisations and independent advocates, agreed in March 2017. It sets out the priorities and calls to action by the intersex human rights movement in our countries.
Constructions of intersex and DSD in Australian data
This paper, by Morgan Carpenter to inform the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, outlines the contradictory ways Australian data construct intersex and DSD.
Demographics
The intersex population is far more diverse than commonly understood. This page presents details based on a 2015 independent Australian sociological survey.
Detention settings
A briefing on issues affecting people with innate variations of sex characteristics in detention settings.
Discrimination
A briefing on discrimination issues affecting people with innate variations of sex characteristics due to our bodies, identities, or assumptions about our identities.
Domestic and family violence
A briefing paper on domestic and family violence and intersex people.
Education
A briefing on issues affecting people with innate variations of sex characteristics in education settings.
An intersex flag
We have struggled with symbols used to denote intersex people, so Morgan created one that is free for the world to use.
Forms and data collection
Guidance on including people born with variations of sex characteristics in forms and other forms of data collection.
Fund intersex advocacy and peer support in Australia, through the Darlington Consortium
Intersex Human Rights Australia and Intersex Peer Support Australia invite you to support the work of our organisations and realise the vision of the Darlington Statement.
Genomics and genetic selection
Many intersex traits are genetic, with an identified origin. The elimination of such traits from the gene pool is an established and growing phenomenon.
Health and wellbeing
An introduction to the health and well-being of people with innate variations of sex characteristics, with links to third party resources published by the Australian Human Rights Commission and clinical bodies.
Healthcare pathways
These health and wellbeing resources work together to visually map established healthcare needs, highlight potential gaps in services, and evaluate against best practice indicators.
Identification documents
A briefing and guidance on understanding and respecting the diverse sex classifications and gender identities of people with intersex variations.
Inclusive practice
Guides to inclusive practice, to help make your service, program or project intersex-friendly.
Intersex people and intersectionality
The rights and concerns of intersex people overlap and intersect with the rights and concerns of women, LGBT people, and disabled and racialised peoples.
Intersex: intersectionalities with disabled people
The lived experience of intersex people, and the intersex movement, have many intersectionalities with experiences of disability and the disability movement.
Intersex: intersectionalities with lesbian and gay people
IHRA’s Morgan Carpenter wrote and presented this paper at the After ‘Homosexual’ conference in Melbourne in February 2012. The focus is on intersectionalities with same-sex attracted people.
Intersex: intersectionalities with gender diverse people
This page details some of the general differences and similarities between the experiences of transgender and gender diverse people, and people with intersex variations.
Malta Declaration
Between 29 November and 1 December 2013, the Third International Intersex Forum, supported by ILGA and ILGA-Europe, took place in Valletta, Malta. The event brought together 34 activists representing 30 intersex organisations from all continents, and produced a common declaration.
Marriage and people with intersex variations
This submission to a Senate inquiry on an exposure draft marriage bill discusses the role of medical interventions in preparing intersex bodies for marriage, as well as issues accessing marriage. It analyses the implications of marriage laws in Australia before marriage equality.
Media and style guide
If you are writing about intersex people, our bodies, identities and human rights concerns, this page outlines why we use words the way we do.
Intersex for parents
This page is for new parents of an intersex child, prospective parents planning a pregnancy or undergoing genetic or preconception screening, and also parents of older children.
Population figures
How many people have innate variations of sex characteristics (IVSCs), also known as intersex variations or differences of sex development?
Position statement on genital cutting
Intersex refers to atypical internal and/or external anatomical sexual characteristics, where features usually regarded as male or female may be mixed to some degree. This is a naturally occurring variation in humans.
Protecting people with intersex variations: a new benchmark in the ACT
The Australian Journal of Human Rights has published this peer-reviewed commentary by Morgan Carpenter on reforms to protect people with innate variations of sex characteristics from harmful medical practices in the ACT.
Researching intersex populations
Guidance on including people with innate variations of sex characteristics in research studies and surveys.
Cross-party speeches on intersex health in the Australian Senate
In the Commonwealth Parliament tonight, senators from each of the three main parties gave extraordinary and powerful speeches. We heard clear recognition that the medical treatment of intersex people is a human rights issue, that intersex is not a disorder, and that intersex people must be heard.
“Sex and Gender Diverse” discussion paper on terminology
This paper was updated in September 2013, with a new final “impact” section that reflects the discontinuation of “SGD” and “DSG” terminology by the National LGBTI Health Alliance and many other organisations. We recommend browsing the Videos, Audio and Personal Stories sections of this website to gain familiarity with the diversity of intersex identities, genders,…
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Sport
A briefing on issues affecting people with innate variations of sex characteristics in sport settings.
Steph Lum at Women Deliver 2019
In TEDx-style, Steph Lum (then IHRA co-chair) presents experiences of some intersex women, in personal relationships and accessing appropriate healthcare, at the Women Deliver 2019 conference in Vancouver.
English / español / polski / русский
Teaching intersex issues
This report, on the ways that intersex is used by educators, was published in June 2001. The analysis and recommendations are as valid today as they were then.
Our Theory of Change
We present our Theory of Change. The diagram is intended to set out why and how we do what we do, and with what goals and outcomes. Now finalised after a period of pubic consultation, comments and feedback remain welcome.
Timeline of legal, community and other key events
A timeline of legal, community and other key reforms in Australian jurisdictions. This page highlights good practice and documents the history of them and other developments.
UN OHCHR paper on human rights violations against intersex people
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has published an essential new background note on human rights violations against intersex people.
UN Treaty Body statements on intersex human rights in Australia
Multiple UN Treaty Body committees have issued concluding observations to Australia on the rights of children with intersex variations.
Who are intersex people?
A briefing on our population, including working, Australian and international definitions.
Workplaces
Guidance for employers, union representatives and staff on intersex issues and inclusion in the workplace.
The Yogyakarta Principles plus 10
An important and long-awaited supplement to the Yogyakarta Principles is published today. The Principles apply international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity, and now also gender expression and sex characteristics.
Youth
Finding out you have an intersex variation can be a surprise! It doesn’t mean you’re alone. There are heaps of us out here with different intersex variations.
YOUth & I intersex youth publication
In YOUth & I, intersex youth tell their own stories, how they want to and in their own way. YOUth & I is an Australian publication created and edited by Steph Lum, and supported by the ACT Capital of Equality grants program. Download a free copy.
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