06/12/2023 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Turkish Medical Association and Ankara Medical Chamber held an intersex workshop. Violations of intersex people’s rights in access to health care and solutions were discussed during the workshop.
Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and Ankara Medical Chamber (TTB) held an intersex workshop on December 2. The intersex workshop, organized in collaboration with LGBTIQ+ organizations, was attended by representatives of health workers and professional organizations and LGBTIQ+ associations, physicians, health workers, medical students and LGBTIQ+ activists. During the workshop, violations of the rights of intersex people in accessing health care and solutions were discussed.
The opening speeches were given by physicians from the TMA Central Council and the ATO LGBTIQ+ Working Group. In the first session of the workshop, the ATO LGBTIQ+ Working Group explained why such a workshop is necessary.
In the second session, activists Belgin Günay, Yasemin Bahar and Şerife Yurtseven shared their experiences as intersex subjects. In order to enable doctors to provide intersex-oriented services, they presented their demands and proposed solutions. Intersex activists stressed the importance of collecting data, referring intersex people to intersex organisations for psychosocial support, and working with medical professionals to provide intersex-focused, human rights-based intersex medical care.
Physicians from the TTB and ATO summarized the history and current situation of non-consensual medical interventions and discussed the recommendations of health workers in the third session of the workshop.
The workshop ended with a forum moderated by Seçin Tuncel and Murat Köylü from Kaos GL and Can Eren from Pink Life. The forum discussed the proposed solutions and future actions. Students from the LGBTIQA+ Medical Students Network also contributed to the forum, pointing out that there are deficiencies in the medical education curriculum regarding intersex.
The components of the workshop are as follows:
Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Ankara Medical Chamber (ATO) LGBTIQ+ Working Group, Health and Social Service Workers’ Union (SES) Ankara Branch, LGBTIQA+ Medical Students Network, May 17 Association, Ankara Rainbow Families Association (GALADER), Inter Solidarity Initiative, Kaos GL Association, Pink Life LGBTI+ Solidarity Association, Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association, Turkish Association of Social Workers (SHUDER) Ankara Branch.
Tags: human rights, health
