Statement by API, Portugal

API, 2017

Ação Pela Identidade statement, 2017


On this International Intersex Awareness Day, October 26th (#intersexawarenessday), there are many things to say, but above all to bring to light those who fight for the dignity and the bodily integrity of people who, at the mercy of archaic scientific and medical practices, often find themselves without access to the most basic ethical and deontological human right, that is full access to the healthy development of the body.

Intersex children and also adults face standards of care of their bodies, pharmacological and/or surgical experiences, that do not always correspond to real needs or risks, and that are accompanied by much disinformation.

These people are categorized into many scattered variations, most called malformations or congenital anomalies: there are more than 40 medical categorizations.

People like Santiago M’banda Lima and Bernardo M’banda, who are brothers, are not rare – and today they share with you their visibility and good disposition.

Therefore, in awareness and justice in the face of increasing adversities in access to health, lack of access to informed consent, the performance of “correcetive” surgeries of the internal and/or external organs of intersex people, we show once again the possibility of being visible in Portugal.

Santiago, president and intersex spokesman, was the first in Portugal to come out in 2015, and has since done his best to transpose international recommendations and defend the human rights of the people targeted but now more visible than ever. Also a member of the Action For Identity, Bernardo presents to you the strength that he has.

We are grateful for the national awareness that has been reached about intersex issues.

Let’s do more and better to clarify your individuality apart from other issues.

#apidentity #diainternacionaldaconscienciaintersexo #intersexo #esteeomeucorpo #intersexday #intersex

Read in Portuguese on the API Facebook page