The government in the state of Tamil Nadu has passed an order banning sex reassignment surgeries on intersex children and infants, except for life-threatening situations.
The Govt shall determine what are life threatening situations on the recommendation of the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), who has been asked to form a committee comprising of ( 1) Paediatric Surgeon/Urologist (2) Endocrinologist (3) Social Worker/Psychology Worker/Intersex Activist and a (4) Government Representative not below the rank of Under Secretary.
Madurai based organisation Shrishti Madurai has welcomed the step and said, “this is a first major normative step towards a comprehensive legal protection regime for intersex children.”
The Govt Order follows a Madras High Court direction to the Department of Health and Family Welfare to ban such surgeries on intersex infants.