Dear all
I think different issues are under discussion here. One is the issue
of "corrective" surgery for children born with ambiguous or "extra"
genitals. The other is about female circumcision which is culturally
sanctioned in some Muslim communities. The latter is actually illegal
under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.
I think that surgery on intersex children is a complex issue and there
are some very important debates here about children's autonomy in
healthcare. Because of the general social intolerance of sexual
ambiguity and intersex states I would imagine that there is a lot of
pressure on parents to agree to a surgical solution to what is probably
presented to them as simply a solution to a medical problem. My
concern is how a protest on this issue, and reframing it as "genital
mutilation" might appear to these parents, who I'd guess are already
feeling stressed and confused. If they knew that a group of "community
psychologists" were accusing them of complying with mutilation of their
children how would they feel?
What about parents who decide that their children would benefit from
other more obviously "cosmetic" procedures such as ear pinning or even
orthodontic work (I had some of my son's teeth yanked out so his mouth
would look less jumbled)? Do we have a position on religious
circumcision of boys (guilty again)?
I know Gavi is much more of an expert on these issues than I am and
I'd be interested to know what he thinks about the points that I have
raised.
Deborah
----Original Message----
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sep 7, 2011 11:49
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Live genital mutilation of intersex young people in
London
Hi everybody I am very glad the Community Psychology network is taking
up this extremely serious issue. In the 1990s I helped voluntarily an
Occupational Psychologist in East London to try and create employment
opportunities. David was also a former Colonial Officer who had served
in Aden, so he also had links helping the Somali community. He was very
concerned about female circumcision. The lack of prosecutions for
genital mutilation is an utter disgrace, although of course education
and the encouragement of social change are also necessary to get things
changed. It needs to be made clear that these practices are due to
culture that needs changing, in the same way as human sacrifice and
cannibalism were changed. There is nothing in relgions such as Islam
prescribing fenital mutilation. We and the BPS do need urgently to get
things happening. It feels rather trivial by compariosn, but I have
belatedly got round to setting up on twitter. I am @canterburyfred.
Please follow me, and I will follow you in return unless you wish
otherwise. Best wishes, Frederic Stansfield 1 Coppergate,Canterbury,
Kent.CT2 7RT Telephone: 01227 764976email: [log in to unmask]
uktwitter: @canterburyfred
From: Jemma Tosh <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, 7 September 2011, 10:16
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Live genital mutilation of intersex
young people in London
Hi Gavi,
Thanks so much for passing this on! I've just looked at the programme
for the conference and I'm absolutely horrified! I'm particularly
concerned about the talk on dexamethasone as a 'preventative' treatment
for CAH - I was at a conference in April where one of the keynotes was
talking about this very issue -that this drug has not been FDA approved
for use in this context - there is no research done on pregnant women
(because it's unethical) and one of the outcomes is cognitive
impairment - having worked both with intersex youth and children with
rare metabolic conditions that result in severe cognitive impairment I
am very concerned about the use of this drug - as well as the message
it sends to mothers, parents and intersex individuals. Luckily I will
be in London on the 17th for the Psychology of Sexualities AGM. I'm
happy to help/contribute in any way I can.
Jem
Dear David, Thank you for these excellent suggestions. In addition,
would anyone be willing to help me prepare a report about this open
violation of young people's rights for this report? http://srsg.
violenceagainstchildren.org/page/Globabl_Progress_Survey_2011 Thanks,
Gavi
On Wed, Sep 7, 2011 at 9:37 AM, David Fryer <[log in to unmask]>
wrote: Dear Gavi,Thank you for drawing our attention to this appalling
practice and those who profit from it. Could you find time to draft a
statement which the list might consider endorsing please? Such a
statement might also be considered for endorsement by the BPS Community
Psychology Section, Jacqui? Such a statement could also taken to the
8th European Congress of Community Psychology and endorsement sought
for a press release. It could also be sent to The Psychologist as a
letter from the List. Other suggestions? David--- On Wed, 7/9/11,
Gavriel Ansara <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Gavriel Ansara <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Live genital mutilation of intersex young people in London
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wednesday, 7 September, 2011, 9:28
Dear all, This link was shared with me today:http://stop.
genitalmutilation.org/pages/London-Protests-ISHID-Genital-Mutilators I
propose that we as a list make a formal statement or find a way to
condemn this conference in the media. What do people suggest we can do
about these human rights abuses? Gavi-- Mr Y. Gavriel Ansara, MSc, PhD
Candidate席嘉力 آتش جاوید גבריאל יוסף http://ansaraonline.
com/___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http:
//twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[log in to unmask] To unsubscribe or to
change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK
___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http:
//twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask] To
unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list,
visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?
A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK
--
Mr Y. Gavriel Ansara, MSc, PhD Candidate席嘉力 آتش جاوید גבריאל יוסף
http://ansaraonline.com/
___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http:
//twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask] To
unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list,
visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?
A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________ There is a
twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant GR.
[log in to unmask] To unsubscribe or to change your details on this
COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-
bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________
There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post
contact Grant [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe or to change your
details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.
jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK
___________________________________
There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]
To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website:
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