City Council Passes Intersex Education Bill
Legislation aims to teach doctors and parents about their options
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
The New York City Council
approved a bill on
April 22 to provide intersex
inclusive education
to doctors, parents, and guardians
of intersex children.
The bill, which was led by out
gay City Councilmember Daniel
Dromm of Queens, requires the
city’s health department to develop
a comprehensive outreach campaign
on the medically unnecessary
treatments and interventions
that are forced on intersex individuals.
The legislation was approved
by a 45-2 vote, with two abstentions
and one absence. With the
backing of intersex advocates, the
city plans to provide educational
resources on the medical procedures
imposed on intersex youth
in an effort to fi t their anatomy into
the male and female binary.
For years, the intersex community
has spoken out against
the harmful effects of these procedures,
including the lack of autonomy
over their health decisions.
The interventions rarely align with
the child’s gender identity as they
get older.
Dromm, the bill’s lead sponsor,
said advocates are “pleased” with
the legislation, which could help
prevent intersex children from undergoing
genital surgeries without
their consent.
“In the past, without that type
of education, folks were deciding
a child’s gender without really any
consideration of what that could
mean for the child’s future,” Dromm
told Gay City News. “At this point,
it’s important that doctors be educated
on the legislation, and that
parents also be educated on the
legislation and what their choices
might mean for the future.”
The bill’s co-sponsors include
out gay Councilmembers Carlos
Menchaca of Brooklyn and Jimmy
Van Bramer of Queens, as well as
their colleagues Carlina Rivera,
Helen Rosenthal, Keith Powers,
Ben Kallos, and Margaret Chin
of Manhattan; Diana Ayala of the
Bronx and Manhattan; Farah
Daniel Dromm of Queens spearheaded the City Council’s legislation on intersex education.
Louis of Brooklyn; and Costa Constantinides,
Adrienne Adams, and
Robert Holden of Queens.
According to the City Council’s
vote tally, Daneek Miller of Queens
and Kalman Yeger of Brooklyn
abstained; Steven Matteo and
Joe Borelli of Staten Island voted
negative; and Brooklyn’s Chaim
Deutsch — who was pleaded guilty
to tax fraud that same morning —
was absent.
The legislation does not ban parents
from requesting these surgeries
for their children, but it mandates
that doctors provide parents
with information to help them decide
about the procedures. Under
this bill, the city will also receive
guidance from the intersex community
on developing policies and
resources.
“We need people who have had
lived experiences and who are
themselves experts by virtue of
living as an intersex person and
making those types of decisions,”
Dromm said.
At a City Council hearing last
October, intersex advocates sounded
the alarm about the dangerous
approach of doctors performing
unnecessary surgeries. Alesdair
H. Ittelson, the legal director at
interACT, a non-profi t supporting
children born with intersex traits,
said doctors have continued to
subject intersex youth to surgical
FLICKR/NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL
interventions that could lead to
chronic pain, sexual dysfunction,
and psychological trauma.
“This is absolutely female genital
POLITICS
mutilation but it’s not being
prosecuted because it’s performed
by white straight cisgender doctors
at fancy medical clinics at Cornell.”
Ittelson said.
Last year Dromm highlighted
the importance of the legislation
on Intersex Awareness Day.
“I introduced Intro 1478, legislation
that will equip parents of infants
born with intersex traits with
the knowledge they need to protect
their babies from unnecessary
and harmful surgeries,” Dromm
tweeted. “Parents of infants with
intersex traits are often forced to
rely on quackery masquerading as
medical science, leading them to
make decisions that infl ict life-long
physical and psychological trauma
on their children. When enacted,
my bill will provide these parents
with the sound medical info they
need to make healthy choices for
their babies.”
WE’RE HERE TO HELP.
If you have been the victim of a crime, a scam, or illegal exploitation, you have
the right to seek justice, regardless of your immigration status. The Office of
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz is here to help.
Elder Fraud
We are committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our senior
citizens. If you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud or abuse, contact
our Elder Fraud Unit at 718-286-6578.
Housing and Worker Protection Bureau
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a housing scam or an unscrupulous
employer engaged in wage theft or not providing a safe workplace, call
the Housing and Worker Protection Bureau at 718-286-6673.
Hate Crimes Bureau
We are dedicated to the safety of all Queens residents, regardless of race, religion,
ethnicity or who they love. If you or someone you know has experienced
a hate or bias-motivated crime, call our Hate Crimes Bureau at 718-286-7010.
Domestic Violence Bureau
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, there are resources
available. Call the 24/7 Domestic Violence helpline at 718-286-4410.
You’ll have the option of connecting with legal or social services to help get
you to safety.
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