Dublin Mansion House will turn purple to commerorate Intersex Day of Solidarity as a way to raise awareness about the issues faced by many intersex people.

Research group, Intersex Map Ireland, wrote on Twitter, “Today is #intersexdayofsolidarity. Celebrate with us by showing up at the #MansionHouse in Dublin when it turns purple in support of Irish #Intersex people. See you from 5.30!!” 

Tomorrow night to celebrate #intersexdayofsolidarity @PaulMcauliffe has agreed to turn Dublin’s Mansion House purple! Join us at 5.30 to stand in solidarity with intersex all over the world. @IrelandIntersex @IrishResearch @DublinCityUni @TENI_Tweets

— Intersex Mapping Study Ireland (@IntersexMap) November 7, 2019

In 2019, Intersex Map Ireland was set up as a Dublin City University project examining the lived experiences of intersex people. Almost €200,000 was given to the initiative as funding by the Irish Research Council.

Project Principal Investigator, Dr Tanya Ní Mhuirthile said: “Internationally, Ireland is now perceived as a diversity positive society, yet intersex people continue to be left behind.” 

Last year, Intersex Ireland was set up to fight for the human rights and medical rights of intersex people. On Twitter, they said, “Please join us at the mansion house tomorrow evening for this wonderful event, in solidarity with Intersex Ireland and all Intersex people in the world.”

Please join us at the mansion house tomorrow evening for this wonderful event, in solidarity with Intersex Ireland and all Intersex people in the world. #intersexdayofsolidarity @BeLonG_To @GCNmag @DublinPride @DubTrans @ShoutOut_IE @nxfie @SimonHarrisTD @TENI_Tweets https://t.co/GQHYFOYNH6

— Intersex Ireland (@IrelandIntersex) November 7, 2019

TENI have also called on the public to attend,  “Join us tomorrow in solidarity with our intersex siblings, as we gather in front of Dublin’s Mansion House, which is turning purple to mark #IntersexDayOfSolidarity.”

Join us tomorrow in solidarity with our intersex siblings, as we gather in front of Dublin's Mansion House, which is turning purple to mark #IntersexDayOfSolidarity. See you there at 5.30pm! @IrelandIntersex https://t.co/ibLGe1oKJ0

— TENI (@TENI_Tweets) November 7, 2019

In Ireland, it is estimated that over 5000 people are intersex. Furthermore, Crumlin Children’s Hospital reportedly sees two to three new disorders of sexual development cases each year. Earlier in 2018, the EU expressed concern that “medically irreversible and unnecessary sex assignment surgery and other treatments are being performed on intersex children.”

Speaking about the need for greater awareness about intersex people, co-chair of the Organisation of Intersex International, Kitty Anderson, said, “It is core that the medical treatments that are performed on us are discriminatory to us on the grounds of our sex. We do know this is still going on in Ireland. It’s going on basically everywhere in Europe. I know of Irish intersex people, but I know that nearly none of them are out as being so. Ireland is a small community, so coming out is much more difficult than in a larger community.”

Mansion House, one of Ireland’s largest institutions, illuminated purple to honour Intersex Day of Solidarity for the first time is a moment of celebration for representation and visibility. Later on today, the DCU sign will also be lit up purple.