Intersexuality Cantonal Council against cost coverage for support for intersex children

The canton of Zurich should not cover the uncovered costs of support and treatment for intersex children and their parents. On Monday, the Cantonal Council rejected a postulate from the SP, EVP, Greens, GLP and AL.

It thus followed the government's proposal by 87 votes to 86, with Council President Jürg Sulser (SVP) casting the deciding vote.

Zurich's Health Director Natalie Rickli (SVP) emphasized in the Council that there are specific services for intersex children and adolescents and their parents in the canton of Zurich and that sufficient subsidies ensure the provision of care.

The postulants, on the other hand, considered it important to improve care for intersex people and their relatives. A report should explain how the uncovered costs for support can be covered.

In particular, the report should address psychosocial and psychotherapeutic support, the promotion of self-help groups and the funding of Shared Decision-Making (SDM) at hospitals.

The physical gender of intersex people is not assigned to the medical norm of male or female bodies, but ranges somewhere in between.

Support "from the very first minute"

Postulant Brigitte Röösli (SP, Illnau-Effretikon) said that when parents are informed by the midwife after the birth that their gender characteristics are not what they are used to, many questions arise. From the first minute after birth, they are dependent on help, support and advice.

It is true that the situation in terms of how postnatal care is provided has changed in recent years. "But the situation remains challenging," said Röösli. It is still the case that far too many operations are carried out far too early. Free psychosocial and low-threshold care is necessary. According to Röösli, the uncovered costs are in the four to five-figure range.

"Complex matter"

Nobody disputes the complexity of this matter, said Lorenz Habicher (SVP, Zurich). However, in its response, the cantonal government shows that a lot is already being done. The Zurich Children's Hospital had also confirmed that there was no longer any pressure to perform operations. "We are open-minded enough here and do not need to support a postulate in order to make additional efforts," said Habicher on behalf of the SVP parliamentary group.

Astrid Furrer (FDP, Wädenswil) said that the fact that consulting services were not compensated on a one-to-one basis was a "serious problem" that should not be ignored. However, the FDP parliamentary group rejected the proposal. They would have "liked to see" the postulate not limited to the uncovered costs of intersex counseling. However, this was not desired by the postulants. "It doesn't make sense to limit ourselves to a single discipline," said Furrer.

Josef Widler (center, Zurich) called it a "sensitive and emotional topic" that is talked about a lot and little is known about it. "We don't yet know the long-term consequences of the treatments," said Widler. There will be no general solution; decisions will have to be made on an individual basis. The Center parliamentary group rejected the proposal.

"A lot of sensitivity"

Nathalie Aeschbacher (GLP, Zurich) said that advice and support required "a great deal of sensitivity". In order to avoid stigmatization and a feeling of shame and to secure self-help groups, the canton must offer financial support. The GLP supports this postulate "in order to do justice to this complex issue", as Aeschbacher said.

Involuntary interventions often have long-term consequences for the child, said Jeannette Büsser (Greens, Horgen). "We have to put up with the question of why we allow this," she said.

Unfortunately, counseling and care are "insufficiently compensated", said Michael Bänninger (EVP, Winterthur) on behalf of his parliamentary group, which supported the request. The discussion was not only about the welfare of the child, but also about the welfare of the parents. Nicole Wyss (AL, Zurich) emphasized that the aim was also to educate people about intersexuality, make it visible and contribute to the removal of taboos.