NYT article on intersex

Katie and Anne pointed out this New York Times article on intersex, which particularly focused on whether or not to perform genital surgery on intersexed children:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/magazine/24intersexkids.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087%0A&en=99d209ec7c8c7694&ex=1159416000

I agree with postponing operations on intersex children until they are old enough to decide for themselves, except in cases of medical emergency. However, I'm leery of many intersexed activists' belief that all individuals need to be assigned a gender of male or female at birth, not leaving room for other options. I realize that much of the world is not accepting of genders beyond male or female, and that this may complicate life for an intersexed child. But are those reasons compelling enough that we should insist that parents stick to the gender binary?


- Mitra