With the adoption of amendments to the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, now the law includes the recognition of sex characteristics as a basis for the prohibition of discrimination, the Republic of Serbia became the fourth country in the region that recognizes the sex characteristics as a basis of discrimination and thus is started work to protect the rights of intersex persons.
“By putting sex characteristics in the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, the state of Serbia has recognized one little visible group in society – intersex persons. With this recognition of intersex persons the law allows the protection and the preservation of bodily integrity and autonomy intersex person.” – Kristian Randjelovic, director of XY Spectrum.
 

We especially welcome the amendment to Article 22, paragraph 2 of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, which recognizes the sex characteristics of children as a possible basis for discrimination, and we hope that these amendments will pave the way for appropriate bylaws to precisely regulate the position of intersex infants and their position during development and growth.
In the Balkans, unfortunately, it is not easy to raise a child as gender neutral, a child who is neither a boy nor a girl, to answer the questions of relatives and neighbors, “Is it a boy or a girl?” with “Neither, we still don’t know” or just to keep quiet about the answer. If experts believe that medical treatment is necessary, parents should be informed about the health consequences and risks of performing the intervention, and in particular, the possibility of postponing operations that are not vital until it is timely – because it is the best outcome for the patient.” – dr. Katarina Maksimović, psychiatry specialist.
 

It is extremely important for the public to become aware of the problems faced by intersex persons, how they are often denied of their basic human rights, and how they can be helped to address all their difficulties. Adoption of amendments to the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination are key to creating and maintaining the awareness of all citizens about the fact that intersex persons are not just diagnoses on paper, and that they are an equal part of society and that, accordingly, their rights should be equally exercised. 
 

Source: XY Spectrum