Advocates have welcomed amendments that update references to people with sex variations across existing Tasmanian laws and make those references more inclusive.
Intersex Peer Support Australia Tasmanian representative, Simone-lisa Anderson, said definitions relating to intersex people have been outdated and narrow.
“It is vital that people with sex variations can be sure of equal inclusion and protection across all laws that affect them.”
“I congratulate the Tasmanian Government for initiating this legislation and Upper House member, Meg Webb, for improving it.”
“I particularly thank the Government and Ms Webb for ensuring the voices of the intersex community were included in the consultation.”
The Government’s amendments updated the Anti-Discrimination Act, the Court Security Act, the Youth Justice Act and the Public Trustee Act.
Ms Anderson said the Tasmanian Government has yet to protect infants with variations of sex characteristics from medically unnecessary, cosmetic, “normalising” surgeries.
“Now the Government has supported new and more inclusive terminology I urge it to move on to substantive legislation preventing harm to intersex children.”
“This legislation was recommended four years ago by the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute.”
‘In that time the ACT has adopted laws protecting intersex infants but the same infants suffering harm in Tasmania still have no protection.” Anderson said.
OIP Staff
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