Intersex Day of Solidarity, also known as Intersex Day of Remembrance, is observed internationally on November 8 to mark the birthday of Herculine Barbin (born November 8, 1838, in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France). Barbin's poignant autobiographical memoirs, discovered and published in 1980 by philosopher Michel Foucault, revealed the tragic medical and legal persecution faced by individuals born with variations in sex characteristics in 19th-century Europe. Established in 2005 by activist organizations including Organisation Intersex International (OII), the observance focuses on ending non-consensual cosmetic genital surgeries on intersex infants, ending medical discrimination, and upholding bodily autonomy under international human rights declarations.
Intersex Day of Solidarity, also known as Intersex Day of Remembrance, is observed internationally on November 8 to mark the birthday of Herculine Barbin (born November 8, 1838, in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France). Barbin's poignant autobiographical memoirs, discovered and published in 1980 by philosopher Michel Foucault, revealed the tragic medical and legal persecution faced by individuals born with variations in sex characteristics in 19th-century Europe. Established in 2005 by activist organizations including Organisation Intersex International (OII), the observance focuses on ending non-consensual cosmetic genital surgeries on intersex infants, ending medical discrimination, and upholding bodily autonomy under international human rights declarations.
