California stalls bill banning intersex surgery for children
April 5, 2021
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) First-of-its-kind California legislation to ban some medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children stalled Monday for the third straight year in the same committee, with the author saying that proposed amendments would have stripped much of its purpose.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, wants to bar certain types of surgeries on children born with intersex characteristics. That s when their genitalia, chromosomes or reproductive organs don’t fit typical definitions for male or female bodies.
His bill would prohibit surgeries until the child is age 12, which advocates say would give the child time to develop a gender identity. His original proposal would delay procedures until age 6 unless they are deemed medically necessary.