JOY FM, the community radio station that broadcasts to Melbourne on 94.9 FM, reports that the state of Victoria has moved to the top of the field for intersex people.

In a landmark move for human rights, the Victorian Parliament has passed legislation prohibiting medically unnecessary surgeries on children born with variations in sex characteristics. The bill, passed on 19 February, makes Victoria the first Australian state and the nation's second jurisdiction, following the Australian Capital Territory, to enact such protections.

The reforms are designed to safeguard the rights of intersex children, ensuring they are not subjected to irreversible medical interventions that are not deemed essential for their physical health. The law aims to protect their future autonomy, allowing individuals to make personal decisions about their own bodies once they reach an age where they can provide informed consent.

Advocates have long argued that previous laws failed to protect one of the most fundamental human rights: the right to bodily integrity and self-determination. Many intersex people have reported significant physical and psychological suffering as a result of undergoing non-consensual, medically unnecessary procedures in childhood.

JOY Media, a prominent voice for the LGBTIQA+ community, has celebrated the legislative change. The organisation highlighted its commitment to representing intersex voices through programmes like The I in Us, hosted by Paul Byrne-Moroney. In a statement, JOY Media congratulated Byrne-Moroney and his team for their "consistent passion, commitment and energy in representing the interests of the intersex community with such strength and clarity."

The passage of this bill is seen as a critical step towards ending harmful practices and affirming the rights of intersex Victorians to determine their own futures.