Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Friday, 26 October is Intersex Awareness Day. Intersex Australians are people whose biological sex characteristics at birth are not typically male or female. These people make up the 'I' in LBGTIQ. Most Australians do not hear of these people and have little understanding about them, yet being born with intersex characteristics is as common as being born with red hair. Too often intersex Australians are invisible. As a co-convener of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for LGBTIQ Australians, along with my co-conveners the member for Leichhardt and Senator Rice, I am hosting a delegation from the intersex community in Parliament House today. I acknowledge Morgan and the rest of the delegation in the gallery and welcome them to Parliament House. They will be meeting with many politicians from all parties to raise awareness of issues of concern for their community.

The Australian Human Rights Commission is currently conducting a project that will consider how best to protect the rights of people born with variations in sex characteristics and non-consensual medical interventions. Intersex Australians just want the same rights as all other Australians—bodily autonomy, self-determination and legal recognition. It is important that, as leaders, we have these conversations about the rights of all Australians, including intersex Australians. Next Friday, on Intersex Awareness Day this year, instead of being invisible, let's make sure intersex Australians are seen and heard and are proud to be citizens of Australia.