Ban Intersex Surgery for Children: Yes or No?

[GrandizerII]

What do you guys think? Should all surgeries done on intersex children to make them genitally "normal" be banned? Yes or no? What is your reasoning?

I definitely say they should be banned. It's shameful that in this day and age, in this so-called "civilized" world we're still giving parents the right to let doctors mutilate children's genitals for the satisfaction of their parents. Male infant circumcision is bad enough as it is but is mild compared to what intersex children have to go through. I was watching an episode on Netflix that was about this topic. In some cases, the penis is basically chopped off and the flesh molded to form/complete the vagina and thereby forced to be a girl without their consent. It's disgusting, and many doctors continue to encourage and actually agree with this.

But then we have people arguing that it's a bad idea to ban these surgeries because banning is never a good thing and can only lead to further problems. But considering the traumatic effects these surgeries cause to a significant number of intersex children, I can hardly see how banning would make things worse. Keep in mind these surgeries are done more than once and on children aware enough to see what's going on, and they get to have no say in the matter a lot of the time.

ETA: To be clear, I am talking only about non-consensual, medically unnecessary surgeries, of course.

[no one]

I would say yes, as long as the child isn't willing. But bans stop people as well as sand bags stop tidal waves.

[brewer]

What surgeries are you referring to that are medically unnecessary?

I think the decision is best left to the medical professionals and the family. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27...pment-dsd_

https://bettersafercare.vic.gov.au/resou...n-neonates

My position may change depending on the "age" of the children you want to discuss.

[Anomalocaris]

I would consider also what would be the result of the surgery, and is there a compelling medical reason why what can attempted to be achieved through surgery in children can not be achieved through surgery after the children reaches adulthood.

[Shell B]

As my understanding of the topic stands, I don't think these surgeries should be performed before a child has reached a legal age of consent, for various reasons.

[Anomalocaris]

If the intersex child is very close to one sex or another, and is expected to be able to be fully functioning as one sex or another with minimally or moderately invasive surgery, then I would say there is a good case to be made that having such child reach puberty and teens with intersex external genitalia traits is potentially a greater risk for the psychological wellbeing of the child than surgically making the child functionally as the gender the child is close to.

[Yonadav]

This is one of those issues that I don't think should be tried in the court of public opinion. The initial policies about performing these surgeries were largely informed by intersexed individuals to whom these surgeries were not available at the time that they were born. The policy has been evolving in response to feedback from those who have been operated on. I don't think that it is an issue where there are any bad actors with bad motives.

[LastPoet]

Yes. It is very known from weak social sciences (/sheldon) that sexuality isn't fully developed by late teens, meaning, the range from 16-20. It is best to give the child proper parenting and if needed, counseling, before any irreversible surgeries.

IMO, kids that have doubts about their gender should have loving parent support(most of times they do not), give them space and mostly, that is mostl important, the parents of the other children should teach them to respect other children.

But then, I realize I am day dreaming again.

[The Valkyrie]

Just ban kids.

All future problems solved.

[Anomalocaris]

Just ban kids.

All future problems solved.

But if you ban kids, where would the next generation of your victims come from?