Question

If doctors are not able to assign sex at birth, surgeries are sometimes performed within 72 hours after birth to "normalize" the genitals, by helping the body properly "finish" the right sexual designation.

Select one:
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

The claim that surgeries are done within 72 hours to "normalize" genitals for sex assignment is false. Ethicists advocate for delaying surgeries until informed consent is obtainable, and many in the medical community oppose nonconsensual surgeries for intersex individuals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that surgeries are performed within 72 hours after birth to "normalize" the genitals and help the body properly "finish" the right sexual designation is false. Such surgeries, often referred to as intersex genital mutilation (IGM), have come under scrutiny and are criticized for being performed without the informed consent of the individual. Medical ethicists, like Kevin Behrens, argue that such interventions should be delayed until the intersex person can make an informed decision themselves. Many in the medical and intersex community, as well as interACT 2021 and activists like Hida Viloria, call for an end to nonconsensual surgeries and assert that most intersex people and newborns are healthy without the need for immediate surgical intervention, unless there is a need, such as the inability to urinate or perform another essential bodily function.