Media Guide: Covering the Intersex Community

"Increasing visibility and understanding about issues facing the intersex community, particularly the experience of intersex youth, is essential to support intersex advocacy and bring about desired change."

The youth advocacy organisation interACT explains that "intersex" is an umbrella term that refers to people born with one or more of a range of variations in sex characteristics that fall outside of traditional conceptions of male or female bodies. interACT believes that improving communication is a crucial part of improving care for children born with intersex traits. In support of that mission, this media guide is designed for members of the media looking to cover an intersex topic or issue.

Topics include:

• The basics of covering the intersex community - Accurate terminology is key; let people share their own stories; don't make generalisations.
• Challenges facing intersex people and recommendations - Some intersex children undergo irreversible, unnecessary surgeries and treatment without their consent. Rather than having doctors pressure parents into making decisions about their children's bodies without the child's consent, interACT urges parents and medical professionals to wait until intersex people are old enough to make their own fully informed decisions about what, if any, medical procedures they desire.

"Intersex issues can be complicated, but interACT staff are always available to answer questions, provide resources, and identify spokespeople including intersex young people, adults, family members, and other experts."