Intersex Human Rights Australia

On Intersex Awareness Day, 26th October 2022, the Darlington Consortium announced the recipient of the third Darlington Australia/Aotearoa intersex ally award, “The Darling”. The award is presented to an organisation, institution or individual that has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to action on intersex issues, beyond affirming the Darlington Statement. This year the recipient is Working It Out, demonstrating outstanding allyship beyond affirming the Darlington Statement, and progress the objectives of the Darlington Statement through:

• Learning about intersex people and issues from intersex community members
• Making their service affirmative and meaningfully inclusive for intersex clients
• Elevating intersex voices through the creation of intersex specific resources and the Better Lives project – educating Midwives about variations to sex characteristics and how to support these community members and their families
• Advocating for intersex issues within governments, NGOs, private and public sectors
• Meaningfully including intersex within the LGBTIQA+ sector
• Creating or promoting affirmative, rights-based healthcare services that depathologise intersex

Join us on Intersex Day of Solidarity as we talk to Simone-Lisa Anderson of Working It Out about her vital intersex work and what it takes for Ally Organisations to step up and support the Intersex Community. In a space where advocates are still fighting hard for basic human rights, it takes exceptional acts of solidarity to ensure the sustainability and impact of the work.

Simone-Lisa Anderson is an accomplished educator who has facilitated learning from young people to adults in a wide range of formats from the pedagogy of science to classroom facilitation to Intersex education. She is also a staunch intersex advocate, interacting with all levels of government, from government steering committees to MP discussions/advocacy and legislative change through to supporting other jurisdictions in legislative change. Currently, Simone-lisa is creating change through the Better Lives Project, a follow-up to the Pilot Better Lives (midwifery) which facilitates education to the Tasmanian Health and Education departments on the needs of the Intersex community. She also facilitates an Intersex peer support group and is a co-researcher with the InterLink program.