The blog Sex matters: legal strategies and alliance building in the intersex community by Julia Greenberg reflects on the issue of intersex and the need for law to protect the rights of intersex groups.
It indicates that strong societal orientation towards normal sex condition and considerations of other sexualities like intersex as less normal is brought out as wrong and oppressive in the sense that it denies intersex individuals basic human rights requirements and reduces their overall contribution to societal development.
Besides, the issue of intersex in many societies has been regarded as strange and has thus been shrouded with secrecy and immense shame witnessed among individuals with this condition who hide for fear of being rejected. However, as Greenberg posits, the conservative nature of a community strongly conflicts with changes depicted by the modern society (Greenberg par. 1).
She indicates that it is critical that a community and its legal system provide a holistic non-discriminatory structure where all members of the community have equal rights irrespective of their sexuality.
The blog by Julia Greenberg majors on the problem of intersex which has over the years raised immense concerns related to gender and identity. Indeed, sexual identity has remained a key facet in dictating cultural orientations of most communities.
As the blog notes, the condition that intersex individuals are brings about a sexual identity problem which in turn cause many of them in the society today to disclose their sexual status in the community for fear of discrimination and victimization (Greenberg par. 1).
It is worth noting that with sexual identity being used as a key identifying factor in terms of determining the actual roles of an individual in a family and a relationship, intersex individuals experience a hard time fitting in the highly fixed social network of friends, workmates and families within a society.
As indicated in the blog, due to the rising awareness of the need to support intersex groups by the international community, more intersex individuals have come out in the open to declare their status in order to overcome current barriers and discrimination in society.
Additionally, the blog indicates that discriminating intersex groups in a society provides a major platform towards their direct dependence on the government and/or their relatives for support. Greenberg (Par. 2) is categorical that although the federal government has taken time to enact laws against discrimination, the intervention ultimately narrows down to shouldering the burden of supporting them through a welfare system.
The blog seeks to determine a viable solution that will address problems facing individuals with intersex condition. It notes that the need to address all members of a society equally regardless of their sex cannot be effective without support from communities at all levels and through enacting effective laws.
Without a doubt, while it is generally agreeable that the government is indeed providing necessary support and seeking to reach out to all, communities should preach the need for harmonious coexistence and condemn stereotypes that depict intersex individuals negatively in the society.
Greenberg (par. 5) indicates that following the negative stereotypes, intersex members of a society have been segregated and dissociated by other people. As a result, intersex individuals tend to be set aside and can only freely relate with members with same condition. Under this consideration, they are unable to participate and contribute to the normal activities of the society.
This is highly traumatizing and culminates to majority of intersex members hiding their affiliation in the society. Alliances and justice movements are for that reason important in offering support to these individuals.
However, the issue of intersex is shrouded with many mistaken beliefs related to homosexuality and whether or not the process of creating laws will protect and advance homosexuality. As such, the blog should clarify what intersex is all about to eliminate misconceptions on whether or not it is part of transgender or GLBT movement and whether the existing laws will protect homosexuals.
Works Cited
Greenberg, Julia. Sex matters: legal strategies and alliance building in the intersex community. 2012. Web.