Miriam van der Have | |
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Born | 1 November 1958 |
Nationality | Dutch |
Known for | Intersex human rights activist, co-chair of OII Europe and managing director NNID |
Website |
nnid |
Miriam van der Have is an intersex human rights activist and woman with androgen insensitivity syndrome. She is a co-founder and co-chair of OII Europe e.V in 2015, co-founder and managing director of NNID Foundation in the Netherlands [1] [2] and member of the ILGA board ( International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) where she is Intersex Secretariat until spring 2019. Van der Have is also a documentary film maker and journalist. [2]
Diagnosed with androgen insensitivity syndrome, [3] and subjected to surgical intervention, [4] van der Have is an intersex human rights advocate and documentary film maker. She has previously worked as a publisher and journalist. Her documentary work includes a film on four intersex women entitled "Vrouwen met AOS" ("Women with AIS"). [2] The documentary premiered on June 15, 2016. [5] [6]
A former chair of Dutch androgen insensitivity syndrome group AISNederland, [7] van der Have is a founder of NNID Foundation and a co-founder of OII Europe. She "came out" as intersex on a television show in 2003. [4] She speaks and writes widely on intersex issues, promoting the emancipation of intersex people. [6] [4] [8] On Intersex Awareness Day, October 26, 2016, van der Have and Juul van Hoof presented guidance on intersex issues to Minister Jet Bussemaker. [9]
van der Have has stated that, "Intersex variations are not an abnormality or disease. For me intersex refers to the lived experience of the socio-cultural consequences of being born with a body that does not fit within the normative definitions of "man" and "woman." In short, it is about our experiences and not a medical diagnosis." [10] She has called for inclusion of the term " sex characteristics" in Dutch equal treatment legislation. [10]
In December 2016, van der Have was for ILGA elected as the Intersex Secretariat of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, representing NNID. [11]