Reproductive justice for children and young people with gonadal variations : Intersex, queer and crip perspectives
Joy, Eileen ; Roen, Katrina and Lundberg, Tove LU
(2023)
In Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work
35(4).
p.45-58
- Abstract
- INTRODUCTION: This article draws on understandings from reproductive justice, crip and queer theories to discuss gonadectomy for children and young people with gonadal variations. Gonadectomy is sometimes performed on people with gonadal variations without their free and informed consent. Some parents report experiencing pressure to consent to such surgery when their children are young. We understand this to be an issue of reproductive justice.
METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of affected children and young people (n = 13). Thematic coding was used to identify data relating to gonads, ovaries, testes and gonadectomy. The data were analysed using discursive questions drawn from a reproductive justice... (More) - INTRODUCTION: This article draws on understandings from reproductive justice, crip and queer theories to discuss gonadectomy for children and young people with gonadal variations. Gonadectomy is sometimes performed on people with gonadal variations without their free and informed consent. Some parents report experiencing pressure to consent to such surgery when their children are young. We understand this to be an issue of reproductive justice.
METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of affected children and young people (n = 13). Thematic coding was used to identify data relating to gonads, ovaries, testes and gonadectomy. The data were analysed using discursive questions drawn from a reproductive justice framework.
ANALYSIS: Parents’ talk about gonads suggests a process of sense-making that can be emotionally challenging. Our analysis situates their talk within broader societal discourses of ablebodiedness and the sex binary. Parents explained their choices and decisions by centring various understandings. Some explained how gonadectomy made sense for maintaining binary sex and following medical advice. Others emphasised the child’s consent and bodily autonomy. Our analysis draws out how parents’ decisions navigate reproductive justice and injustice.
CONCLUSIONS: Dominant beliefs about ablebodiedness and the sex binary appear to influence and frame decision-making about the gonads of children and young people with variations in sex characteristics. A crip, queer, and reproductive justice lens allows us to expand understandings of reproductive justice for all and potentially helps to destabilise and disrupt the sex binary. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- INTRODUCTION: This article draws on understandings from reproductive justice, crip and queer theories to discuss gonadectomy for children and young people with gonadal variations. Gonadectomy is sometimes performed on people with gonadal variations without their free and informed consent. Some parents report experiencing pressure to consent to such surgery when their children are young. We understand this to be an issue of reproductive justice.
METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of affected children and young people (n = 13). Thematic coding was used to identify data relating to gonads, ovaries, testes and gonadectomy. The data were analysed using discursive questions drawn from a reproductive justice... (More) - INTRODUCTION: This article draws on understandings from reproductive justice, crip and queer theories to discuss gonadectomy for children and young people with gonadal variations. Gonadectomy is sometimes performed on people with gonadal variations without their free and informed consent. Some parents report experiencing pressure to consent to such surgery when their children are young. We understand this to be an issue of reproductive justice.
METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of affected children and young people (n = 13). Thematic coding was used to identify data relating to gonads, ovaries, testes and gonadectomy. The data were analysed using discursive questions drawn from a reproductive justice framework.
ANALYSIS: Parents’ talk about gonads suggests a process of sense-making that can be emotionally challenging. Our analysis situates their talk within broader societal discourses of ablebodiedness and the sex binary. Parents explained their choices and decisions by centring various understandings. Some explained how gonadectomy made sense for maintaining binary sex and following medical advice. Others emphasised the child’s consent and bodily autonomy. Our analysis draws out how parents’ decisions navigate reproductive justice and injustice.
CONCLUSIONS: Dominant beliefs about ablebodiedness and the sex binary appear to influence and frame decision-making about the gonads of children and young people with variations in sex characteristics. A crip, queer, and reproductive justice lens allows us to expand understandings of reproductive justice for all and potentially helps to destabilise and disrupt the sex binary. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/9fea96d7-e3b1-45ed-923e-da7a906f5258
- author
- Joy, Eileen
; Roen, Katrina
and Lundberg, Tove
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-12-18
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- intersex, DSD, gonadal variation, reproductive justice, SRHR, crip studies, gonads, variations in sex characteristics, health care
- in
- Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work
- volume
- 35
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 13 pages
- publisher
- Univeristy of Otago
- ISSN
- 2463-4131
- project
- The SENS project
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 9fea96d7-e3b1-45ed-923e-da7a906f5258
- alternative location
- https://anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/article/view/1043
- date added to LUP
- 2023-12-18 09:51:29
- date last changed
- 2023-12-18 12:00:03
@article{9fea96d7-e3b1-45ed-923e-da7a906f5258,
abstract = {{INTRODUCTION: This article draws on understandings from reproductive justice, crip and queer theories to discuss gonadectomy for children and young people with gonadal variations. Gonadectomy is sometimes performed on people with gonadal variations without their free and informed consent. Some parents report experiencing pressure to consent to such surgery when their children are young. We understand this to be an issue of reproductive justice.<br/>METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of affected children and young people (n = 13). Thematic coding was used to identify data relating to gonads, ovaries, testes and gonadectomy. The data were analysed using discursive questions drawn from a reproductive justice framework. <br/>ANALYSIS: Parents’ talk about gonads suggests a process of sense-making that can be emotionally challenging. Our analysis situates their talk within broader societal discourses of ablebodiedness and the sex binary. Parents explained their choices and decisions by centring various understandings. Some explained how gonadectomy made sense for maintaining binary sex and following medical advice. Others emphasised the child’s consent and bodily autonomy. Our analysis draws out how parents’ decisions navigate reproductive justice and injustice.<br/>CONCLUSIONS: Dominant beliefs about ablebodiedness and the sex binary appear to influence and frame decision-making about the gonads of children and young people with variations in sex characteristics. A crip, queer, and reproductive justice lens allows us to expand understandings of reproductive justice for all and potentially helps to destabilise and disrupt the sex binary.}},
author = {{Joy, Eileen and Roen, Katrina and Lundberg, Tove}},
issn = {{2463-4131}},
keywords = {{intersex; DSD; gonadal variation; reproductive justice; SRHR; crip studies; gonads; variations in sex characteristics; health care}},
language = {{swe}},
month = {{12}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{45--58}},
publisher = {{Univeristy of Otago}},
series = {{Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work}},
title = {{Reproductive justice for children and young people with gonadal variations : Intersex, queer and crip perspectives}},
url = {{https://anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/article/view/1043}},
volume = {{35}},
year = {{2023}},
}