Sex and gender recognition (page 1 of 7)

For an introduction to these issues, see our page on identification documents

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Call for action by the new government

IHRA is pleased to share our call for action by the new government. It includes calls for action to promote legislative reform, resource peer support and advocacy, reform medical codes and provide redress.

Hans Lindahl on writing intersex characters

Writing an intersex character

Hans Lindahl, formerly of interACT, presents here one of best discussions about how to write intersex characters in fiction. We highly commend this video, and other work by Hans.

Intersex in surveys and forms

Joint statement on the 2021 Census

Intersex Human Rights Australia and the National LGBTI Health Alliance issue this statement following news reports on the 2021 Census.

the shape of Tasmania, in purple

Tasmania: unfinished business

IHRA welcomes aspects of the Justice and Related Legislation (Marriage Amendments) Bill 2018, that has been passed by the Tasmanian Parliament. In particular, insertion of the attribute of “sex characteristics” in law is very welcome. However, we note that anti-discrimination protections on grounds of sex characteristics only apply to persons with intersex variations of sex…
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the shape of NT, in purple

Submission to the NT 2018 inquiry on birth registration

In November 2018, we made a brief submission to the Social Policy Scrutiny Committee, Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory regarding reform of birth registration. Our submission was made in line with the Darlington Statement.

the shape of WA, in purple

Submission to the Law Reform Commission of WA

Debate about legal gender recognition in Western Australia has thankfully shifted the debate in Australia from one focused on the recognition of non-binary gender categories to one that questions the necessity of legal registration of sex and gender at all.

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Morgan Carpenter: new peer-reviewed papers on medical “normalisation” and legal “othering”

Update: The book chapter is now available freely via the author’s website We are pleased to share a current and recent peer-reviewed journal article by co-executive director Morgan Carpenter, on intersex health and human rights, and an associated book chapter. In an open access peer-reviewed journal article and a book chapter, Morgan describes contradictions where…
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