Project

The DSD infographics toolbox: A support tool for parents to talk about their child's Difference of Sex Development

Code
BOF/MVF/202309/014
Duration
01 January 2024 → 31 December 2024
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Social sciences
    • Sexology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Paediatrics
    • Behavioural sciences
Keywords
Differences of sex development societal taboo atypical genitals infographic
 
Project description

Differences of Sex Development (DSD) are rare conditions in which development of genetic, gonadal or phenotypic sex is atypical. Affected newborns often have atypical genitals. Their parents experience stigma, shame and trauma, aggravated by societal taboo, making it difficult to inform and receive support from their social safety net. This isolates them, impeding coping, and qualitative parenting. Parents also postpone or feel incapable to inform their child. Childhood genital surgery, applied in the past to avoid social stigmatization, will be legally forbidden in Belgium soon. Thus, parents will need now also to inform their child’s wider environment about the atypical genitals, to avoid isolation and mental harm for their child. This project aims to develop a DSD infographics toolbox to help parents talk about the condition with their child, social safety net and wider environment, and to inform society on the existence of DSD, to improve well-being of affected families.