Intersex Society of North America
| Abbreviation | ISNA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1993 |
| Dissolved | 2008 |
| Type | NGO |
| Purpose | Intersex human rights |
|
Region served
|
United States and Canada |
| Website | isna |
The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) was a non-profit advocacy group founded in 1993 by Cheryl Chase to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries. Other notable members included Morgan Holmes, Max Beck, Howard Devore and Alice Dreger. The organization closed in June 2008, and has been succeeded by a number of health, civil and human rights organizations.
The Intersex Society of North America claimed that intersex is a socially constructed label that reflects actual biological variation. These variations range from chromosomal deviations from the standard male or female body, to deviations in reproductive organs that may or may not be visually expressed, to hormonal variations. The ISNA listed ambiguous genitalia as a commonly cited case of intersex, but there exist variations of lesser degree. The ISNA claimed that intersex anatomy is not always present at birth, and not manifest until the child hits puberty. Considering the wide range of variations that are considered intersex, as well as ISNA’s perceived socially-constructed nature of gender and biological sex, the ISNA placed intersex within a sex anatomy spectrum. ISNA's argument was that intersex individuals can be thought of as being on a spectrum or continuum, in which there are no clear demarcations of where male ends and female begins.
The ISNA advocated a move from what a "Concealment-Centered Model" to a Patient-Centered Model. This push was to move away from a model that teaches both that “intersex is a rare anatomical abnormality” and that there needs to be immediate surgery to normalize the child’s abnormal genitals, and moved toward the idea that “intersex is a relatively common anatomical variation from the ‘standard’ male and female types”. The attempt is to treat intersex as something that is natural, as to not ostracize the intersex community and allow people with intersex to be treated with the same ethical principles that doctors show to any other patient.
The Patient-Centered Model believes that “psychological distress is a legitimate concern and should be addressed by properly trained professionals”. This means that both people with intersex and family members who feel burdened in any way should seek both the help of counselors trained in sex and gender issues and the supports from a community of peers experiencing the same situation. This allows a network of support to help everyone through any trying times that might arise. The model also states that "care should be more focused on addressing stigma, not solely gender assignment and genital appearance." The Model attempts to much more caring toward people with intersex.
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