Tasmanian advocates have called on the state to follow the Australian Capital Territory’s lead by banning unnecessary, non-consenting medical interventions on children with innate variations of sex characteristics.

Last week, the ACT passed Australia’s first laws protecting intersex people from unconsented medical procedures.

Simone-lisa Anderson, the Tasmanian representative on Intersex Peer Support Australia, said it was “a monumental day for human rights protections.”

“The ACT government has passed legislation to protect people with innate variations of sex characteristics. This legislation is accompanied by funding for necessary psychosocial supports for both families and children.”

“This was a commitment made to Intersex Human Rights Australia and Intersex Peer Support Australia in 2018 and implements recommendations from the 2021 report from the Australian Human Rights Commission.”

“In 2019 the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute made similar recommendations to the Tasmanian Government, yet there is still no action from our state government. There are still no protections for a community that is too-rarely acknowledged or supported in Tasmania.”

“As the Tasmanian representative on IPSA, I congratulate the ACT and urge the Tasmanian Government to act as soon as possible.”

“This reform is needed to support health and wellbeing in our community.”

You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.