Intersex Asia Statement for IDAHOBIT during Pandemic 2020

Intersex Asia Statement for IDAHOBIT* during Pandemic 2020

May 17th 2020

We Are Here

We Also Need Protection

Breaking the Silence of Intersex People in Asia

May 17th marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), a time to celebrate all variances in sexualities, genders and sex characteristics. Normally our members would be joining parades and campaigning on the streets, but the 2020 coronavirus crisis means that the day will have to be marked in different ways. In the Philippines, our member organisation Intersex Philippines has been practicing singing “Heal The World” together, as a way to come together online, celebrate being intersex, and to encourage others to have the courage to join them in coming out as intersex. In Nepal, our co-chair Esan Regmi and founder of Nepal’s Campaign for Change, is joining a Webinar on Contemporary Queer Rights Issues in Nepal and talking about intersex rights in particular. In India, Gopi Shankar-Board Member, Intersex Asia and Founder, Srishti Madurai will be organising an online meeting in remembrance of all the volunteers and activists who lost their lives while advocating for rights of LGBTI+ community in India. In the meeting, the members of Srishti Madurai will perform rituals of indigenous gender variant communities in India to honor each person who has contributed to the equal rights movement in India. 

While we celebrate, we also need to use this day to speak out against the violence and discrimination faced by intersex people in Asia. During the COVID crisis, intersex people have been hit particularly hard. Intersex Asia has been reaching out through our networks to find out the situation in different countries and where possible providing financial assistance. We are so grateful to our members and allies who have been in constant communication with their intersex communities, providing encouragement and advice to help them through these difficult times: Campaign For Change (Nepal), Srishti Madurai (India), Intersex Philippines, Born in This Body (Bangladesh) and OII-Chinese. So far we have provided support to 95 individuals in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, and the Philippines. Some of them are affected because they have lost their source of income and are now struggling for their basic living costs. In Bangladesh, we heard that some intersex people there have no ID and so cannot access government support. In Nepal, our partner explained how the gender listed on their ID cards does not reflect how they present in public and they are afraid of the consequential discrimination if they reach out for official support. In Pakistan, we heard how the gender identity that intersex people have chosen means that they are not entitled to government support. In Indonesia, our allies conducted a short survey and found that levels of anxiety and stress were exceptionally high.

Intersex Asia welcomes the statement by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner calling for states to include the LGBT community in their COVID response. It’s essential that LBGTQIA voices are included in this pandemic response and that funds are provided for LGBTQIA organisations who are best placed to identify how to rapidly and effectively provide protection and support for our communities. However, we would urge that the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity includes intersex people. Not all intersex people identify as LGBT, but they also face specific discrimination and struggles which have become worse during this crisis. Too often we have experienced intersex people being left out and even when organisations remember to include the “I” for intersex, they don’t always remember to consult with the intersex community.

We also welcome the statements by the ASEAN Sogie Caucus calling on

“All donors, international organizations, humanitarian agencies, and governments to roll out — proactively and without delay — emergency and solidarity support for LGBTIQ activists and their communities.”

As well as ILGA Asia’s joint statement calling on specific protection for LGBTQIA youth and adolescents who are living with unsupportive families during lockdown, quarantine or isolation.

Intersex Asia will continue to reach out to our Asian intersex community working to increase the visibility of our people, build awareness about what it is like to be intersex in Asia and calling for an end to discriminatory practices against our communities.

www.intersexasia.com

For more information contact: coordinator@intersexasia.com

*IDAHOBIT = International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia