Abbreviation OII Type NGO Region served worldwide | Formation 2003 Purpose Intersex human rights Chairperson Hida Viloria | |
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The Organisation Intersex International (OII) is a global advocacy and support group for people with intersex traits. According to Milton Diamond, it is the world's largest organization of intersex persons. A decentralised network, OII was founded in 2003 by Curtis Hinkle, The current chairperson is Hida Viloria
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Mission
OII was established to give voice to intersex people, including those speaking languages other than just English, for people born with bodies which have atypical sexual characteristics such as gonads, chromosomes, and/or genitals. OII acknowledges intersex as a normal human biological variation, and rejects the terminology of disorder, as in DSD/Disorders of Sex Development, utilized by some other intersex groups, as well as the sexualization of intersex (as in Intersexuality). They acknowledge intersex people's own distinct sexuality, as people who may identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, trans, straight, or other, in alliance with other members of the LGBTI population.
Sociologist Georgiann Davis describes OII and (the now defunct) Intersex Society of North America as "activist organisations". The objective of OII is to achieve equality and human rights for intersex people, and end human rights violations against them, particularly the practice of non-consensual genital surgeries on infants and minors. The ethos of the group is that people will hold different views as appropriate to the individual; this often entails treating as optional socially and medically constructed categories such as binary genders and sexual identifications; the identity human being being seen as the fundamental identity.
Affiliates
Affiliates include organisations in Chinese, French and Spanish-speaking regions, Australia, Europe and the USA. They include:
Intersex South Africa
Founded by Sally Gross, Intersex South Africa is an autonomous affiliated organisation. Advocacy work by Sally Gross led to the first recognition of intersex in law in any country in the world.
OII Australia
Organisation Intersex International Australia is a charitable company that has achieved notable contributions to national health and human rights policies, including intersex inclusion in anti-discrimination legislation, gender recognition, healthcare access, and contributions to a Senate of Australia report on the Involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex people in Australia. Notable members include co-chairs Morgan Carpenter and Tony Briffa, and retired president Gina Wilson.
Oii-Chinese
Oii-Chinese (國際陰陽人組織 — 中文版) aims to end "normalising" surgeries on intersex children, promote awareness of intersex issues, and improve government recognition of gender. Chiu says that surgical "normalisation" practices began in Taiwan in 1953. As part of this mission, founder Hiker Chiu started a "free hugs with intersex" campaign at Taipei's LGBT Pride Parade in 2010. The organisation also gives lectures and lobbies government.
OII Europe
Founded in 2012 at the Second International Intersex Forum, OII Europe is the first European intersex NGO. Along with ILGA-Europe, the organisation contributed to Resolution 1952 (2013) of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, on Children's Right to Physical Integrity, adopted in October 2013. Co-chairs are Dan Christian Ghattas and Miriam van der Have.
OII-Francophonie
This was the original OII, based in Quebec and Paris, from where the French title Organisation Intersex International derived, and founded by Curtis Hinckle, Andre Lorek and Vincent Guillot (amongst others) between 2003 and 2004. OII-Canada was the first OII-affiliate to become legally incorporated in 2004. OII-Francophonie hosted a summer school in Paris in 2006, with representatives from Canada, France, Belgium and the UK including Vincent Guillot, Cynthia Krauss and Paula Machado.
OII Germany
OII Germany, also known as Internationale Vereinigung Intergeschlechtlicher Menschen, participates in national and European action promoting human rights and bodily autonomy. In September 2013, the Heinrich Böll Foundation published Human Rights between the Sexes, an analysis of the human rights of intersex people in 12 countries, written by Dan Christian Ghattas of OII-Germany.
OII-UK
OII-UK was established between 2004 & 2005 by Tina Livingstone, Michelle O'Brien and Sophia Siedlberg. OII-UK was active in representing the interests of intersex people at UK and European conferences, meetings and forums between 2005 and 2010. After a brief hiatus from 2010 due to members stepping down for health or migration reasons, OII-UK is again active, led by Leslie Jaye.
OII-USA
OII-USA promotes intersex awareness, bodily autonomy, and access to sport, within the US, and amongst international institutions, including the United Nations. Notable members include director Hida Viloria.