中间性 - 怎样对待中间性

持续不断的变革 - 援助社团

正如本讲中一再提及的那样，如今已经有了数个中间性提倡和援助社团，还有的团体则把自己的工作限定在特定的染色体异常或激素紊乱的中间性者的援助方面。不过，所有的这些团体全都团结了起来，为了一个总体的目标，以改善那些天生具有外部和/或内部性器官异常的个体的医疗、心理、社会和法律境遇。为达此目标，这些团体不仅设法为相关个人及其家人提供教育，而且培训医学和法律专业人员以及在公众中普及有关知识。在追寻这一使命的过程中，这些团体不断地寻求与研究人员、医生和法律工作者对话，也撰写文章介绍中间性的知识和接待来访。最为重要的是，团体成员们想方设法提供准确的知识，而且只要是可能，会主动为一个一个的中性者提供具体的帮助。他们所提供的最为有效的手段之一就是互联网。这些团体的许多网站信息甚至于对专业人士也是非常丰富的，因为他们的网站不仅报道最新的科学成果，而且清晰地刊载了极具指导价值的经验和就诊病人的热切期望。简而言之，中间性援助社团现在已经是热心于处理中间性的任何努力中的有机组成部分。中间性团体的主要目标可以概括如下：

•  提供信息和开展教育，以抗击对中间性病症的无根无据和无缘无故的羞辱、封锁、忽视、偏见和歧视。
• 要求公开所涉及病例的医生诊断和治疗过程。
• 抵制对异常性器官的所谓常规的“标准化”外科手术。
• 在一个孩子是男或女的性别指派(sex assignment)中，要求根据这个孩子的最后发育来确定性别，而不是迫于墨守成规者的压力而作出性别指派。
• 改进公共卫生保健。
• 通过给有关个体及其家人、以及处于相似处境的其他人提供他们理应获得的信息或知识，帮助他们过着正常的生活。

Intersexuality - Dealing with Intersexuality

Continuing Changes - Support Groups

As repeatedly mentioned in this course, there are now several intersex advocacy and support groups. Some try to cover a variety of intersexual conditions, others limit themselves to specific chromosomal or hormonal problems. However, all of these groups are united in their overall goal of improving the medical, psychological, social, and legal situation of persons born with atypical external and/or internal sex organs. In order to achieve this goal, the groups try to educate not only the persons concerned and their families, but also the medical and legal professions and the public at large. Pursuing this mission, they seek a continuous dialogue with researchers, doctors and lawyers, They also write articles and give interviews. Most importantly, they try to provide accurate information, and, whenever possible, to offer concrete assistance to individuals. One of their most effective tools has proved to be the internet. Many of their web sites are very informative, even for specialists, not only because they report the latest scientific findings, but also because they articulate the highly instructive experiences and aspirations of medical patients. In short, intersex support groups are now an integral part of any serious attempt of dealing with intersexuality. Their main goals can be summarized as follows:

• Inform and educate in order to combat unwarranted shame, secrecy, ignorance, prejudice, and discrimination associated with intersexual conditions.
• Demand full disclosure from doctors with regard to both diagnosis and treatment.
• Campaign against the routine surgical “normalization” of atypical sex organs.
• Demand sex assignment as female or male based on the likely later development of the child, not on immediate conformist pressures.
• Improve access to health care.
• Support the individuals concerned and their families by giving them access to the information they need and to other individuals in similar situations.