IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 815 

Expressing support for the recognition of October 26, 2023, as ‘‘Intersex 

Awareness Day’’, and supporting the goals and ideals of Intersex Awareness Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 26, 2023 

Ms. BALINT (for herself, Mr. POCAN, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. CROCKETT, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. 

JACOBS, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Mr. MULLIN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PETERS, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. 

TORRES of New York, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, and Mr. FROST) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education 

and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the recognition of October 26, 2023, 

as ‘‘Intersex Awareness Day’’, and supporting the goals 

and ideals of Intersex Awareness Day. 

Whereas Intersex Awareness Day honors the first public demonstration by intersex people in the United States, which 

took place at the annual conference of the American 

Academy of Pediatrics on October 26, 1996; 

Whereas, since that historic demonstration in 1996, October 

26 has become a day during which intersex people and 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HRES 815 IH 

allies come together to celebrate and uplift the intersex 

community; 

Whereas ‘‘intersex’’ refers to individuals with innate variations in their physical sex characteristics, including external anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal function, 

and/or chromosomal patterns; 

Whereas the most widely cited estimate of the frequency of 

intersex traits in the population is 1.7 percent, yet the 

true prevalence is likely higher; 

Whereas health equity for intersex people is undermined by 

patterns of stigmatization and discrimination on the basis 

of variations in sex characteristics, intersex status, and 

perceived gender nonconformity; 

Whereas babies and children with variations in their sex characteristics are often subjected, without their own informed consent or assent, to irreversible surgeries and 

other interventions to make their bodies conform to 

stereotypical expectations of what it means to appear, behave as, or be male or female; 

Whereas instances in which variations in sex characteristics 

necessitate surgery on an urgent basis in infancy or early 

childhood are exceedingly rare, and decisions about such 

surgeries could therefore be safely postponed in the vast 

majority of cases until such time as an indication of medical necessity may arise; 

Whereas there is evidence that performing these irreversible 

surgeries in the absence of individual consent can result 

in severe lasting physical and psychological harm including loss of bodily function, the destruction of reproductive 

capacity, and the imposition of a sex assignment with 

which the individual will not identify; 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HRES 815 IH 

Whereas three former Surgeons General of the United States 

have agreed that early, nonconsensual surgeries on 

intersex children can cause ‘‘severe and irreversible physical harm and emotional distress’’ and ‘‘violate an individual’s right to personal autonomy over their own future’’, ‘‘clearly infring[ing] on the child’s right to physical 

integrity, preservation of sexual and gender identity, and 

procreative freedom’’; 

Whereas the Department of State has commemorated 

Intersex Awareness Day by recognizing the harm of these 

surgeries, stating that ‘‘at a young age, intersex persons 

routinely face forced medical surgeries without free or informed consent. These interventions jeopardize their 

physical integrity and ability to live freely’’; 

Whereas the American Academy of Family Physicians 

(AAFP) ‘‘opposes medically-unnecessary genital surgeries 

performed on intersex children’’ and states that ‘‘Genital 

surgeries should only be recommended as medically necessary for intersex infants and children for the purpose 

of resolving significant functional impairment or reducing 

imminent and substantial risk of developing a health- or 

life-threatening condition’’; 

Whereas the World Professional Association for Transgender 

Health, in its Standards of Care Version 8, recommends 

that providers treating intersex children delay ‘‘genital 

surgery, gonadal surgery, or both, so as to optimize the 

children’s self-determination and ability to participate in 

the decision based on informed consent.’’; 

Whereas the American Bar Association in a 2023 resolution 

took a position ‘‘Oppos[ing] all . . . policy that attempts 

to impose medical or surgical intervention on minors with 

intersex traits (also known as variations in sex characterVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:52 Oct 27, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR815.IH HR815

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HRES 815 IH 

istics) without the minor’s informed consent or assent, 

and urg[ing] licensed professionals not to conduct or propose medical or surgical intervention on minors with 

intersex traits until the minor requests the proposed care, 

understands the impact of the proposed care as well as 

alternatives, is provided with affirming psychosocial supports, and gives informed consent or assent, except when 

immediate life-threatening circumstances require emergency intervention’’; 

Whereas medical practices should respect the human rights 

and bodily autonomy of all people, and government institutions should implement policies that protect and support intersex people; 

Whereas the Presidential Memorandum of February 4, 2021, 

on ‘‘Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons 

Around the World’’ makes it ‘‘the policy of the United 

States to pursue an end to violence and discrimination on 

the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics’’; 

Whereas President Biden convened the first White House 

Roundtable on intersex issues on October 26, 2021, in 

celebration of Intersex Awareness Day, declaring that the 

Administration ‘‘is committed to advancing justice, opportunity, and safety for intersex Americans’’; 

Whereas Executive Order 14075 of June 15, 2022, states 

that it is the policy of the United States Government ‘‘to 

combat unlawful discrimination and eliminate disparities’’ 

affecting ‘‘lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and 

intersex (LGBTQI+) Americans,’’ including discrimination on the basis of sex characteristics, and directs Federal agencies to ‘‘advance the responsible and effective 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HRES 815 IH 

collection and use of data on sexual orientation, gender 

identity, and sex characteristics’’; 

Whereas the House of Representatives has voted twice to explicitly codify nondiscrimination protections for people 

with intersex variations in its passage of the Equality 

Act, and various Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, have recognized that, consistent with the 

legal reasoning of Bostock v. Clayton County, discrimination on the basis of a person’s sex characteristics is prohibited sex discrimination; and 

Whereas intersex people are an important part of the diversity of our Nation to be celebrated and should be afforded respect, dignity, and the universal human right to 

bodily autonomy: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of Intersex 

3 Awareness Day; 

4 (2) encourages the Federal Government, States, 

5 localities, nonprofit organizations, schools, and com6 munity organizations to observe the day with appro7 priate programs and activities, with the goal of in8 creasing public knowledge of the intersex community 

9 and empowering individuals to celebrate and respect 

10 their diversity; 

11 (3) encourages health care providers to offer 

12 culturally and clinically competent care to the 

13 intersex community, and schools to support edu14 cation regarding the intersex community, and conVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:52 Oct 27, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR815.IH HR815

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
6 

•HRES 815 IH 

1 nect individuals to resources for young people with 

2 intersex variations and their families; and 

3 (4) encourages the Federal Government, States, 

4 international funding organizations, and United 

5 States bilateral and multilateral aid efforts to 

6 prioritize the health and human rights of intersex 

7 people. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB