About us
Intersex Aotearoa is the operational arm of Intersex Trust Aotearoa NZ (ITANZ), a registered charitable trust and a non-profit organisation. IA/ITANZ is the peak body for intersex-led advocacy in Aotearoa, committed to providing affirmation and referral for people with intersex variations/ira tangata. By intersex people, for intersex people.
IA is the only intersex-led and national-reaching organisation in Aotearoa. IA lobbies for systemic change within education, healthcare institutions and social environments to make Aotearoa a safe and affirming place for intersex people to thrive within.
This organisation stems from the foundational strength and tireless activism provided by Mani Bruce Mitchell for the last 25 years. Through Mani’s work, ITANZ was able to act as a key member organisation within international intersex movements, and to contribute to historical achievements such as the Malta Declaration in 2013 and the Darlington Statements in 2017.
Our advocacy at IA means working alongside peer organisations, lobbying for change through Government and other legislative bodies, working alongside and with academic researchers, and aligning with healthcare professionals to create the change we want to see for ira tāngata/intersex/ those with variations of sex characteristics.
We do this independently and through collaboration with community, LGBTQIA+ organisations, stakeholder groups and all activists and advocates who are invested in the lives of intersex people.
We centre Te Titiri o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa, and this informs our strategic aims when seeking sovereignty and bodily autonomy for everyone in Aotearoa, especially tangata whenua and ira tangata.
