Growing up an intersex in a country where it is related to bad omen is the most fickle. This is because, in such countries, intersex is associated with sorcery and witchcraft, especially the traditional communities. Babalwa Mtshawu, from South Africa, feeling weird and different from other humans, resolved her fears when she sought medical attention. This was after futile attempts to understand her gender. Since she never experienced puberty nor grew breast, she talked to a specialist. Her family being of conserved nature, never involved in sexual or biological issues. Hence it was tricky to talk about herself. Through consultations with a physician, she discovered she was intersex.
Babalwa at 32 states that in the traditional communities, the midwives killed the babies who were born intersex. They thought it related them to the bad omen. However, it is sad to take the lives of intersex and rather discriminatory. Besides, unnecessary surgery on the intersex to fit into society’s social norm is cruel and unthoughtful. Especially if it’s a decision made of their knowledge.
What is intersex
It is the condition in which an individual is born with both sexual and reproductive organs or possession of both boy and girl anatomy. It is a condition linked to genitalia, chromosome patterns, and hormones.ie a person may possess both testicular and ovarian tissue. The case of Mtshawu, who resembles a lady whilst the anatomy of a man dominates from within her. Some examples are also of possession of both XY or XX chromosomes.
Intersex shouldn’t be discriminated against for their condition is because of the manipulation of biological traits. It is approximated that out of 2000 babies born, and one is often a victim of intersex. Research exhibits intersex characteristics to be visible at birth or reveal at later stages. Hence individuals can possess intersex traits and be uninformed throughout their life.
Surgeries to procreate
Cases have been reported of unnecessary surgery to amend the deformation by surgeons. These operations have often been conducted following desperate parents’ orders on the certainty of their newborn’s gender. Most of these operations have been successful in rendering parents jovial. This act of decision making for the intersex has dramatically impacted on their personality. This is so because often, removal of these genitalia results in a clash on individuals’ sex and gender. These surgeries have been accompanied by sterility, after surgical depression and sensitivity of the genitals. Although doctors claim that early surgeries are less painful, recover quickly, and with fewer complications, intersex says sex isn’t genitalia. Hence such victims should be allowed to make their own decisions based on their assertiveness and growth. They shouldn’t be neglected, victimized, but supported and encouraged.
Protection of intersex
Current reformations and knowledge on intersex have stemmed from carefully thought decisions before surgery. Especially with the mismatch of sex and gender, as it is bizarre to feel like a man but ironically possessing female genitalia. They have reported such cases of malicious surgery. However, tender committees have formed; hence surgery authorization depends on the decision by the majority. Such implementations are to protect the intersex. It is being encouraged globally to express themselves. Despite some relating their condition to a vicious cycle of shame and stigma.
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