pr3-11-98

Press
Release: 11 March 1998


 

Cheryl Chase discusses intersex movement at George Washington
University and American University

Cheryl Chase, Executive Director of the Intersex Society of North America
(ISNA), will discuss       the rise of an
intersex activist movement working to change medical management and social
status     of people with atypical sexual anatomy.

Nearly one in a hundred infants exhibit some anomaly in sexual differentiation
at birth and one in two  thousand cannot easily be labeled "boy" or
"girl" by a physician.  The solution advocated by traditional medicine
has been to assign infants to a gender throughdrastic surgical means.

Cheryl Chase argues that invasive surgical and hormonal treatment only
allow parents and doctors to "imagine" that they have eliminated the child's
intersexuality. As a self described "survivor" of these treatments, 
Ms. Chase points out that the surgery is often  immensely destructive
of sexual sensation and of the sense of bodily integrity.

"I'm sure surgeons believe we're fine because we've been silent for
so long, but silence is no sign of  healthy sexual function. 
It's a sign we've been  shamed."   -- Cheryl Chase

You may have heard about Cheryl Chase and ISNA in Rolling Stone, Newsweek
or National Public Radio.

WHEN:  Wednesday March 11, 1998

           
first presentation at 12 Noon

           
second presentation at 8 PM

WHERE:  Noon presentation:

       George Washington University (Foggy
Bottom Metro)

       117 Ross Hall

       23rd and I Streets NW

       Washington, DC

 

       8pm presentation:

       American University (Tenlytown
Metro)

       Gianni Lounge

       Butler Pavilion

       4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW (at
Nebraska Ave)

       Washington, DC

 

CONTACTS:

       at George Washington University

       for info and direction call Jennefer
Russo 202.518.5252

       or email her at <russoj@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>

       at American University

       for info and directions call 202.885.3347

       or email Michael Calfee <calfee@cyberdude.com>

       at Intersex Society of North America

       email <info@isna.org>

       visit ISNA's web site at http://www.isna.org

 

Sponsored by

    Student and Youth Rainbow Network

    Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People in

        Medicine (of George Washington
University)

    American University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,

        Transgender and Allied Resource
Center

    At Least 10%

    American University Lambda Grads

    GenderPAC

    American University Women and Gender Studies Program

    American University Department of Sociology

    Third Party League

    National Organization for Women (AU Chapter)