Making Sense of Intersex (eBook)

A philosopher offers a framework for the treatment of intersex children, and a moral argument for responsibility to them and their families.Putting the ethical tools of philosophy to work, Ellen K. Feder seeks to clarify how we should understand "e;the problem"e; of intersex. Adults often report that medical interventions they underwent as children to "e;correct"e; atypical sex anatomies caused them physical and psychological harm. Proposing a philosophical framework for the treatment of children with intersex conditions-one that acknowledges the intertwined identities of parents, children, and their doctors-Feder presents a persuasive moral argument for collective responsibility to these children and their families."e;In a voice both urgent and nuanced, Feder squarely faces the complexities that accompany the care of people with atypical sex anatomies in medical science. . . . Rich with cross-discipline potential, Feder's engaging argument should provide a new approach for doctors and parents caring for children with atypical sex anatomy."e; -Publishers Weekly, starred review"e;Feder's book is a welcome injection of new ideas into feminist scholarship on intersex, post-Consensus Statement era."e; -Women's Review of Books"e;Is a work of philosophy capable of bringing insightful new perspectives or illuminating and forceful arguments to an urgent social matter so as truly to effect a felt change in the lives of people concerned by it? Feder's book is capable of this effect. As such, it takes the risk of calling forth a new public, or a new readership, and so is a work whose appeal could well be ahead of its time. But its time should be here."e; -International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics"e;Making Sense of Intersex significantly enhances our understanding of intersex and the ethical issues involved in medical practice more generally."e; -Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal