5 Way You Can Demand that Lurie Children's Hospital #EndIntersexSurgery
*new youtube video resource*
Who: Intersex Justice Project
What: Solidarity w/ #EndIntersexSurgery protest, organized by the Intersex Justice Project & The Houston Intersex Society, outside of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, IL
Where: Online!
Why: Intersex people should no longer be subjected to unnecessary 'cosmetic' procedures, such as surgeries meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals, e.g. clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties. Such surgeries should be delayed and only done with the full informed consent of the intersex patient, and Lurie should become the first hospital in the United States to end unnecessary intersex surgery. Digital/online pressure & accountability is just as important as in-person, on-the-ground pressure! If you can’t make the protest, you can still support this protest & campaign!
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BELOW IS COPY/PASTE MESSAGING FOR YOUR VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT PLATFORMS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO UTILIZE ANY MATERIALS BELOW TO SUPPORT!
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If you’d like to share graphics with yours posts, share these which are optimized for FB, Twitter and Instagram: → Download here: http://bit.ly/2L9ws3y (all the language for these graphics were taken from the excellent resource created by interACT, 4intersex.org!)
TWITTER
Handle to Tweet at: @LurieChildrens
Hashtag to use: #EndIntersexSurgery
FACEBOOK
Page to tag/target: Lurie Children’s Hospital
Goal: Choose a message and create your own post on your personal FB page. After you copy and paste your message from below, make sure you go back and click “@LurieChildren’s” to make sure “Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago” is tagged.
INSTAGRAM
Page to tag/target: Lurie Children’s Hospital
Hashtag to use: #EndIntersexSurgery
Make a post on your page and tag ( @LurieChildrens ). In your comment, urge them to respect intersex kid’s bodily autonomy. While you can be stern, we ask that you keep your tone upbeat and encouraging. You can copy and paste any of the sample comments and use them as templates. Feel free to use a share graphic provided at the top of the document for you post’s image. (Search “share graphic” in this doc to find the link). Or, feel free to use any photos provided by Love & Struggle photos from our last protest here!
EMAIL
Email: Lurie’s CEO Patrick Magoon [email protected] and CC: [email protected]
Subject: How are you protecting intersex children?
Script:
“Hello Mr. Magoon, My name is ____________ and I live in ____________. I have just become aware of the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign and I am 100% invested in supporting intersex patients across the country, but in particular those that are patients at your hospital. I notice that your website indicates unnecessary cosmetic genital surgeries, such as those meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals--like clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties--are being performed by surgeons at your hospital. Such surgeries should be delayed and only done with the full informed consent of the intersex patient. I would like to share a resource developed by young, intersex people for those in the medical field, “What We Wish Our Doctors Knew” (attached). Lurie Children’s Hospital does so many good things for a wide spectrum of communities, and is a leader in keeping up with current medical practices, so will you be the first to lead and set an example for providers to respect the human rights of intersex children? I support the demands of the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign, which are the following:
I truly hope you will hear the demands of intersex activists and allies from across the country who united on October 26th, 2017 and July 18th, 2018 in front of your hospital, to protest unnecessary “cosmetic” medical procedures which the United Nations have deemed human rights violations, that are still being performed on intersex children at Lurie Children’s Sex Development Program (SDP) led by Dr. Earl Cheng. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
______________________”
PHONE
“Hello. My name is ___________ and I’m from __________ and I’m calling to voice my support for the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign. I fully support the activists who protested outside your hospital on October 26th, 2017 and July 18th, 2018 , and will definitely be sharing their concerns and demands with my friends, family and networks on social media. I hope that Lurie will not choose to tarnish it’s excellent name in the community, and will instead hear their demands and publicly respond accordingly. Thank you for your time.”
“Hello. My name is ____________ and I’m invested in supporting intersex patients’ human rights. I notice your website indicates that surgeries on intersex youth are still going on at Lurie. I don't think infants and children can consent to these types of invasive procedures. I’d like to voice my support for the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign because I believe intersex children deserve to grow up in the bodies they were born with. Thank you for your time.”
*new youtube video resource*
Who: Intersex Justice Project
What: Solidarity w/ #EndIntersexSurgery protest, organized by the Intersex Justice Project & The Houston Intersex Society, outside of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, IL
Where: Online!
Why: Intersex people should no longer be subjected to unnecessary 'cosmetic' procedures, such as surgeries meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals, e.g. clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties. Such surgeries should be delayed and only done with the full informed consent of the intersex patient, and Lurie should become the first hospital in the United States to end unnecessary intersex surgery. Digital/online pressure & accountability is just as important as in-person, on-the-ground pressure! If you can’t make the protest, you can still support this protest & campaign!
****************
BELOW IS COPY/PASTE MESSAGING FOR YOUR VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT PLATFORMS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO UTILIZE ANY MATERIALS BELOW TO SUPPORT!
****************
If you’d like to share graphics with yours posts, share these which are optimized for FB, Twitter and Instagram: → Download here: http://bit.ly/2L9ws3y (all the language for these graphics were taken from the excellent resource created by interACT, 4intersex.org!)
Handle to Tweet at: @LurieChildrens
Hashtag to use: #EndIntersexSurgery
- .@LurieChildrens, you do so many good things, and are a leader in keeping up with current medical practices, so will you be the first to lead in this campaign that urges providers to respect the human rights of intersex children? #EndIntersexSurgery
- I am 100% invested in supporting intersex patients across the country, but in particular those that are born at or visit @LurieChildrens. Lurie, will you become the first hospital in the U.S. to end unnecessary intersex surgery? #EndIntersexSurgery
- Intersex children should be allowed to determine if they want surgery when they are adults. Intersex children deserve self-determination! @LurieChildrens, will you be the first to lead and urge providers to respect the human rights of intersex children? #EndIntersexSurgery
- Did You Know? In Oct 2016, the @UN declared that unnecessary surgery & treatment without informed consent of intersex children is a human rights violation. @LurieChildrens, will you commit to ending human rights violation of intersex children at your hospital? #EndIntersexSurgery
Page to tag/target: Lurie Children’s Hospital
Goal: Choose a message and create your own post on your personal FB page. After you copy and paste your message from below, make sure you go back and click “@LurieChildren’s” to make sure “Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago” is tagged.
- Did You Know? In October of 2016, the United Nations declared that unnecessary surgery & treatment without informed consent of intersex children is a human rights violation. Yet, @LurieChildrens continues to perform medically unnecessary 'cosmetic' procedures on intersex children, such as surgeries meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals, e.g. clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties. I am 100% invested in supporting intersex patients across the country, but in particular those that are born at or visit Lurie. As intersex activists from across the country came together outside of Lurie Children’s Hospital on 7/18 demanding an end to intersex surgery, I hope Lurie will listen and become the first hospital in the U.S. to end unnecessary intersex surgery! For more information, visit intersexjusticeproject.org, or follow the hashtag #EndIntersexSurgery on Twitter and Instagram!
- On July 18th, intersex activists from across the country protested outside @LurieChildrens, demanding an end to medically unnecessary surgery on intersex children STILL happening non-consensually at your hospital, and across the country. Lurie does phenomenal work for a wide spectrum of communities in Chicago, and I truly hope they will not tarnish their name and legacy and will heed the demands of the Intersex Justice Project and intersex activists across the country who are demanding self-determination for their community. Lurie: Become the first hospital in the U.S. to #EndIntersexSurgery! For more information, visit intersexjusticeproject.org, or follow the hashtag #EndIntersexSurgery on Twitter & Instagram!
Page to tag/target: Lurie Children’s Hospital
Hashtag to use: #EndIntersexSurgery
Make a post on your page and tag ( @LurieChildrens ). In your comment, urge them to respect intersex kid’s bodily autonomy. While you can be stern, we ask that you keep your tone upbeat and encouraging. You can copy and paste any of the sample comments and use them as templates. Feel free to use a share graphic provided at the top of the document for you post’s image. (Search “share graphic” in this doc to find the link). Or, feel free to use any photos provided by Love & Struggle photos from our last protest here!
- Intersex activists from across the country protested outside Lurie Children’s on July 18th, demanding an end to medically unnecessary surgery on intersex children STILL happening non-consensually at your hospital, and across the country. Lurie does phenomenal work for a wide spectrum of communities in Chicago, and I truly hope they will not tarnish their name and legacy and will heed the demands of the Intersex Justice Project and intersex activists across the country who are demanding self-determination for their community. Lurie: Become the first hospital in the U.S. to #EndIntersexSurgery! For more information, follow @intersexjusticeproject, or follow the hashtag #EndIntersexSurgery on IG and twitter!
- Lurie, you do so many good things, and are a leader in keeping up with current medical practices, so will you be the first to lead in this campaign that urges providers to respect the human rights of intersex children? #EndIntersexSurgery
- I am 100% invested in supporting intersex patients across the country, but in particular those that visit Lurie Children’s. Lurie, will you become the first hospital in the U.S. to end unnecessary intersex surgery meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals, such as clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties? For more information, follow @intersexjusticeproject, or follow the hashtag #EndIntersexSurgery on IG and twitter!
- Intersex children should be allowed to determine if they want surgery when they are adults. Intersex children deserve self-determination! Lurie, will you be the first to lead and urge providers to respect the human rights of intersex children? For more information, follow @intersexjusticeproject, or follow the hashtag #EndIntersexSurgery on IG and on twitter!
- Did You Know? In Oct 2016, the @UN declared that unnecessary surgery & treatment without informed consent of intersex children is a human rights violation. Luire, will you commit to ending human rights violation of intersex children at your hospital? For more information, follow @intersexjusticeproject, or follow the hashtag #EndIntersexSurgery on IG and twitter!
Email: Lurie’s CEO Patrick Magoon [email protected] and CC: [email protected]
Subject: How are you protecting intersex children?
Script:
“Hello Mr. Magoon, My name is ____________ and I live in ____________. I have just become aware of the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign and I am 100% invested in supporting intersex patients across the country, but in particular those that are patients at your hospital. I notice that your website indicates unnecessary cosmetic genital surgeries, such as those meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals--like clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties--are being performed by surgeons at your hospital. Such surgeries should be delayed and only done with the full informed consent of the intersex patient. I would like to share a resource developed by young, intersex people for those in the medical field, “What We Wish Our Doctors Knew” (attached). Lurie Children’s Hospital does so many good things for a wide spectrum of communities, and is a leader in keeping up with current medical practices, so will you be the first to lead and set an example for providers to respect the human rights of intersex children? I support the demands of the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign, which are the following:
- Public Apology -- Apologize for the irreversible harmful surgeries that have been done on intersex people without their consent.
- End Intersex Surgery & Modernize Intersex Education -- Stop performing medically unnecessary 'cosmetic' procedures on intersex children, such as surgeries meant to change the appearance or sexual function of an infant's genitals, e.g. clitoral reductions, removal of functional testes, and vaginoplasties. Such surgeries should be delayed and only done with the full informed consent of the intersex patient. In the meantime, Lurie’s SDP staff (and all clinicians who see intersex kids) need to attend a sensitivity training written and given BY intersex people. Also, clinicians must begin offering a written resource, decided upon by folks in the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign, to all parents considering surgery.
- Reparations - Provide free medical care that does not position intersex variations as problems to be fixed. This includes providing hormones and psychological support for intersex young people and their parents.
I truly hope you will hear the demands of intersex activists and allies from across the country who united on October 26th, 2017 and July 18th, 2018 in front of your hospital, to protest unnecessary “cosmetic” medical procedures which the United Nations have deemed human rights violations, that are still being performed on intersex children at Lurie Children’s Sex Development Program (SDP) led by Dr. Earl Cheng. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
______________________”
PHONE
- Call Julie Pesch, Public Affairs Director at 312.227.4261
“Hello. My name is ___________ and I’m from __________ and I’m calling to voice my support for the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign. I fully support the activists who protested outside your hospital on October 26th, 2017 and July 18th, 2018 , and will definitely be sharing their concerns and demands with my friends, family and networks on social media. I hope that Lurie will not choose to tarnish it’s excellent name in the community, and will instead hear their demands and publicly respond accordingly. Thank you for your time.”
- Call Patient Relations at 312.227.4940
“Hello. My name is ____________ and I’m invested in supporting intersex patients’ human rights. I notice your website indicates that surgeries on intersex youth are still going on at Lurie. I don't think infants and children can consent to these types of invasive procedures. I’d like to voice my support for the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign because I believe intersex children deserve to grow up in the bodies they were born with. Thank you for your time.”