The 20 page Dignitas infinita (Infinite Dignity) was published this week by the church’s powerful body on doctrine and is the accumulation of five years’ worth of work.

The document covers a wide range of issues from conservationism to war, human traficking and gender issues.

The church says that while surgery may be required to resolve genital abnormalities, it does not condone surgery that is undertaken to allow someone to live as a different gender.

While also speaking out against surrogacy, the document did reaffirm the Catholic church’s opposition to the criminalisation of homosexuality.

“It should be denounced as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation,” it said.

LGBTIQA+ rights advocates say the statement is from ‘the dark ages’

Equality Australia TransEquality Chair Ymania Brown said the declaration “takes us back to the dark ages”. 

“These harmful and derogatory statements ignore the diversity of the human population and the growing scientific evidence about sex and gender,” she said. 

“One of God’s greatest gifts to us is free will and the ability to think for ourselves. If something like surgery or hormones makes our lives easier and better, then let us make that choice for ourselves.”  

Brown said the doctrine fuelled misunderstanding about trans people, many of whom were deeply religious.  

“The Church should be listening to LGBTIQ+ people from within their faith communities so the harms of the past can be avoided,” she said. 

“As a trans woman and devoted Catholic I see myself as God’s creation and deserving of support, respect and love.” 

Benjamin Oh, chair of Rainbow Catholics Interagency Australia, said the document was at times “inconsistent with its good intention to promote human dignity”. 

“To speak impersonally about LGBTQ+ lives without actually including us and our lived realities and experiences is dehumanising,” he said. 

“The Gospel teaches us about truth and justice through the lives of the oppressed. We hope the drafters of this document will seek further understanding and education from credible sciences and the witness of LGBTQ+ Catholics, which the document sorely lacks.”  

Global Director of Growing Families Sam Everingham said surrogacy was an incredible gift to an otherwise childless couple. 

“There are many Christian women across the globe who feel completely empowered through their work giving otherwise infertile couples the gift of family,” he said. 

“The Vatican authorities remain alarmingly out-of-touch with the reality that human trust, love and altruism are no better expressed than when a selfless woman offers to help another in need. 

“In my role as a researcher and educator, I have interviewed over 200 surrogates across eight nations globally who have chosen to carry for a loved one or stranger. I have published on both their motives and relationships with recipients. 

“My research, along with that of many others in the field, demonstrates that while these relationships can be difficult to navigate, where strict screening is employed to ensure a surrogate has the appropriate psychological and medical characteristics, surrogates report a huge sense of personal fulfilment from being able to give childless couples a family.”  

The announcement was also criticised by Ashley Scott from All Kids are Equal who said surrogacy was a choice made by informed and consenting adults. 

“While the Vatican may hold its outdated position on surrogacy, we stand firm in our belief that every family deserves the opportunity to experience the joys of parenthood, regardless of their circumstances,” he said. 

“The reality is that surrogacy, when conducted ethically, is a compassionate choice for families facing challenges in starting a family. It’s about understanding, respecting, and supporting the choices of women who choose to become surrogates.” 

Former Hobsons Bay Mayor and intersex advocate Tony Briffa said the declaration also discounted the voices and experiences of intersex people. 

“As a Catholic woman subjected to non-consensual and unnecessary medical intervention as a child due to my intersex variation, I am extremely saddened by the Vatican’s hypocrisy and lack of compassion and understanding,” she said. 

“Children born with intersex variations should be afforded the dignity and respect of time to decide for themselves what interventions and bodily modifications they want, if any.  

“The Vatican’s idea of what constitutes sex and gender is outdated and dangerous and ignores the fact biological sex, like sex characteristics and gender identity, exist in a spectrum. I call on the Vatican to meet with trans and intersex people so they can be enlightened.” 

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The legislation will protect people with variations in sex characteristics from harmful and unnecessary medical interventions as children by placing restrictions on treatment to alter sex characteristics without personal consent.

These restrictions will exclude emergencies or authorisation by an independent assessment board. The board will be created with committed comprised of intersex people with lived experience alongside medical, ethical and psychosocial experts. The laws will also introduce offences and other regulatory provisions to enforce these changes.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr fought back tears when speaking on the legislation in parliament to commend the bill.

“It’s incumbent [on] all members in this parliament, who care about the autonomy, consent and safety of people with variations in sex characteristics and I thank them for their support of this bill today,” Chief Minister Barr said of the bill he himself introduced.

“We look forward to the detailed debate, where I will hold it together better than I have just done.”

The action follows long-term advocacy from intersex individuals and groups, as well as broader LGBTIQA+ advocacy groups, who have all welcomed today’s action.

Long-time advocate and Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia (IHRA) called this a “wonderful and transformative moment.”

“This legislation promises to ensure this, implementing effective oversight and appropriate penalties. And it is accompanied by much needed investment in psychosocial support,” Carpenter said.

“Thank you so much for the leadership of the ACT Government and their engagement with all stakeholders. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with government and community organisations to ensure its success.

“This is a model for other jurisdictions, and we call on other states and territories to adopt similar reforms.”

Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown adds that it is time for other states and territories to follow the ACT’s lead.

“Every intersex person in Australia should be able to grow up to live a full and dignified life in which they decide what happens to their own bodies,” Brown said.

“It’s now time for the rest of the country to commit to protecting future generations of intersex Australians from medical procedures that can be deferred until they are old enough to decide for themselves.

“The fact not a single MP from any party in the ACT voted against this bill shows how important these protections are and that the time is right for reform in all other states and territories.”

One of the most high-profile intersex Australians, the world’s first openly intersex mayor Tony Briffa, has also commented the ACT Government.

“Infants and children born with intersex variations in Australia continue to have unnecessary, irreversible hormonal and surgical interventions performed them, like surgeries to reduce the size of a baby girl’s clitoris or to remove healthy gonads.

“I call on all other states and territories to follow the ACT’s lead and protect the rights of all intersex people in medical settings.”

Currently, Victoria is the only state or territory besides the ACT who have made commitments in this space. In October 2021, the Australian Human Rights Commission urged all Australian governments to implement measures that prevent harmful medical interventions on intersex people without personal consent.

OIP Staff

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October 26th is Intersex Awareness Day, a day to learn about the human rights issues faced by intersex people, and promote genuine inclusion for people with intersex variations.

Intersex Human Rights Australia (IHRA), Intersex Peer Support Australia (IPSA) and partners have revealed a range of new resources, aimed at changing current practices and promoting genuine inclusive practice.

Raising The Bar and the Inclusive Practice guide, delivered with the National LGBTI Health Alliance, provide tips and checklists that can assist organisations and individuals in respecting diversity within the intersex population, using appropriate language, helpful terminology, measures of inclusion and much more.

“Inclusion occurs when people are not only comprehended, welcomed and respected, but also where the issues facing intersex people are meaningfully addressed. These new tools provide practical steps towards achieving an inclusive and welcoming professional environment,” Morgan Carpenter, co-executive director of IHRA said.

“These guides will help individuals and organisations respond to the individual circumstances of intersex people, respect the diversity of the intersex population, use language appropriately and keep up-to-date with good information.”

Intersex people have innate variations of sex characteristics that differ from medical and social norms for female or male bodies. Intersex is an umbrella term for a diverse range of different traits that can be determined prenatally, at birth, during puberty and at other times. People with intersex variations grow up to express diverse identities, including LGBT and non-LGBT identities.

“These new guides help tackle intersex and misconception through knowledge and education. The checklist on terminology can help create more sensitive, inclusive and effective services and research,” said Tony Briffa, President of IPSA.

“We developed these resources with IHRA and IPSA to promote research and consultation with intersex-led organisations as experts on their health and human rights,” Alliance CEO Nicky Bath adds.

“The practical list of ‘DOs’ and ‘DON’Ts’ will help individuals and organisations build alliances that promote positive change.”

Raising the Bar invites individuals and organisations to understand some of the more common intersex variations, such as androgen insensitivity, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, 47 XXY, and 5α reductase deficiency.

You can find more information at ihra.org.au

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Tony Briffa, one of the most prominent intersex Australians will deliver the 2018 Isabelle Lake Memorial Lecture on May 17th

The lecture will take place at the University of Western Australia’s Ross Lecture Theatre on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.

The annual lecture is named after transgender rights advocate Isabelle Lake who passed away in 2012. Lake was highly regarded for her volunteering efforts with several LGBTI community organisations including the Freedom Centre, WA Gender Project and Slutwalk Perth. She also worked at the Western Australian Equal Opportunity Commission where she assisted in the development of resources for the an anti-bullying project.

Previous speakers who have delivered the lecture include Aram Hosie, AJ Kearns, Tim Wilson and Rachel Wallbank.  

Tony Briffa, the former Mayor of Hobsons Bay in Victoria, and a former Mayor of the city, is considered to be the first person in the world, who is open about their intersex status, to hold public office. Tony  is the Co-Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia, formerly known as OII Australia.

For all the details head to Equal Opportunity Commission website www.eoc.wa.gov.au    

OIP Staff

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Mr Briffa says the organisation should remain true to it’s  core value of bringing about marriage equality for everyone or change it’s name.

Mr Briffa outlined that while he supported the legislation put forward in  the Australian Captial Territory, the same support could not be extended to the proposed legislation in the other states as it did not adequately support intersex people. Mr Briffa highlighted New Zealand’s legislation as a positive example.

“My wife and I were married in New Zealand three weeks ago where true marriage equality exists.  My sex did not matter for the purpose of marriage because in New Zealand marriage is about a commitment made by two people irrespective of sex.

“As an intersex person who is open about being born biologically both male and female, this is very important.  The current marriage laws in Australia only allow marriage to be between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others.

“This means people like me are unable to marry anyone unless we deny our true biological selves and pretend to be one sex and in a heterosexual relationship.”

Briffa, who is an independent Councillor at Hobson’s Bay in Victoria, is a leading campaigner for intersex rights and recognition in Australia.

Rodney Croome from Australian Marriage Equality did not agree with Mr Birffa’s assessment.

“The best legal advice we have received is that the Tasmanian Bill does not exclude transgender and intersex people,” Mr Croome said.

“If transgender and interest people cannot marry under federal law they will be allowed to marry under the state law, which is a big step forward for the rights of T and I folk.”

Mr Croome argued that there was little difference between the bills in different states.

“I understand the ACT Bill appears to be more inclusive, but in effect there is no difference. On top of that, several pro-equality constitutional experts are deeply concerned that it will fail in the High Court because of the way it is drafted.”

“There are transgender and intersex Tasmanians who are desperate to marry in their home state and the Tasmanian bill gives them that opportunity, with the added benefit of having the best chance of surviving a High Court challenge.”

OIP Staff, updated 10:15am Monday October 21.

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