“I want you to see us and to hear us, and I want you to acknowledge the harm from this, and our pain.”
– Jason Simmons

By Leif Thompson, M.D.

The 27th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) was held in Brisbane, Australia in mid-June and we have exciting news to report on many fronts. Here are a few highlights from the Brisbane congress.

GALDEF achieves Member Organization status with the World Association of Sexual Health

WAS President Elna Rudolph, a staunch supporter of genital autonomy for all.

GALDEF is now a member organization of the World Association of Sexual Health (WAS). Our membership was announced in June at the 27th Congress of WAS in Brisbane, Australia, and was attended by Founder/Executive DirectorTim Hammond and Board member Dr. Leif Thompson. This is a monumental achievement, culminating several years of diligent work by GALDEF and presentations by genital autonomy advocates at previous congresses (e.g. David Smith, Steve Scott and others). The current path to membership was not without challenges, but Tim Hammond’s persistence and perseverance paid off.

Why is GALDEF’s membership in WAS an important achievement for children’s rights?

WAS is considered the premier international organization dedicated to both sexual research and sexual rights advocacy. WAS has promoted these values as universal human rights with several published declarations: Sexual Rights (2014), Sexual Pleasure (2019) and Sexual Justice (2023). These documents are well worth reviewing for anyone advocating for the sexual rights of both adults and children.

Attendees from all regions of the world participated in WAS2025.

Beyond WAS’s focus on sexual rights, it’s also important to note that WAS maintains advisory relationships with both the World Health Organization and the United Nations, organizations who, as we know, have fallen short in the advocacy and protection of boys and others born with male-typical genitalia(i.e., intersex and transgender persons) from the harms of forced genital cutting. GALDEF now holds a unique position within WAS as the first member organization to address protection of ALL children from nonconsensual, medically unnecessary genital cutting practices – as a universal human right, not a specifically gender-based right.

WAS provides GALDEF with a well-developed infrastructure and international influence in the field of sexual rights – a necessary platform to help bring awareness to the sexual rights of children with regard to nonconsensual genital alterations, including boys. In turn, GALDEF can help WAS to understand that the sexual rights of boys must be considered when addressing issues of Sexual Health, Rights, Justice and Pleasure. Ultimately, the sexual rights of everyone must be considered for a morally and ethically consistent movement to succeed. This is an important alliance for WAS and for GALDEF in the promotion of the sexual rights of children and the adults they will become.

As we proudly accept this designation as a member organization of WAS, we pledge to use this well-earned status to further the rights of all children, including boys and others born with male-typical genitalia(i.e., intersex and transgender persons), and to form alliances with other organizations concerned with the sexual rights of all children. Just as importantly, GALDEF recognizes that with membership status comes a responsibility to not only challenge the status quo to ensure that discussions of universal sexual rights include boys and men, but to also be a contributing member to the mission of WAS which aligns with that of GALDEF in promoting universal sexual rights, regardless of sex or gender.

GALDEF’s accomplishment is something we can all celebrate as a significant step forward! Ultimately, we all rise together; girls and women, those born with innate variations of sex characteristics, those with diverse gender identities or sexual orientations; as well as boys and men!

GALDEF laid the groundwork for WAS2025

While genital autonomy advocates like Steve Scott (US) and David Smith (UK) made presentations at previous WAS congresses, GALDEF’s presence at WAS2023 in Antalya, Türkiye contributed to the success of our presence at WAS2025. In 2023, Tim Hammond presented his landmark published research involving almost 1,800 Foreskin Restorers across 60 nations. Other presenters at that congress were: Mohamad Fahmy – pediatric surgeon and member of GALDEF’s Advisory Council, Alfonso Cepeda-Emiliani – anatomical researcher and expert on the penile sensory nervous system, and Brian Earp – bioethicist. GALDEF’s board members Leif Thompson and Dan MacClymont also attended and networked extensively.

At that congress it became apparent that GALDEF and WAS shared a congruent mission of promoting sexual rights, and thus began GALDEF’s pursuit to become a member organization. Our participation in WAS2023 culminated with GALDEF obtaining membership status this year, but just as importantly, the connections made at WAS2023 proved essential in obtaining a spot for the Darbon Institute to present at WAS2025. Our successes this year are the result of prior engagement and relationship-building over time.

GALDEF supports The Darbon Institute of Australia/New Zealand in its resounding success!

This year, both Tim Hammond and Dr. Leif Thompson from GALDEF were again present at the WAS2025 congress, with GALDEF assuming a supportive role, assisting the Darbon Institute of Australia/New Zealand in its efforts to raise awareness about the harms of male genital cutting. Jonathan Meddings (Darbon Institute chair), organized and led the symposium entitled “Uncut Voices: exploring the sexual, psychological and lived experiences of circumcision harms” The following professional recordings were made possible through the generous support of donors to both GALDEF and the Darbon Institute.

Jonathan Meddings

The impact of circumcision on penile sensitivity and sexual function

Jonathan presented excerpts from his recently published book: The Final Cut: The truth about circumcision, and provided an overview of foreskin functions, lack of medical indication for circumcision, and its harms.

Jason Simmons

Discussion on the harms of circumcision

This extremely personal, intimate and moving presentation marks the first time that Jason, an Ambassador for the Darbon Institute, has spoken publicly about his circumcision suffering. He made the following appeal to attendees, and indeed to all viewers: “I want you to see us and to hear us, and I want you to acknowledge the harm from this, and our pain. And I want you to stand with us and fight because we stand with you as well.”

Leeanne Morris

The relationship between male circumcision and adult mental health

Leeanne is a clinical psychologist from the U.K., presenting her research into the prolonged mental health impacts of circumcision, including trauma, grief and fractured relationships. She also called for mental health professionals to start taking this trauma seriously and to become better educated on methods to assist circumcision sufferers. Leanne says that for many circumcision sufferers, circumcision is “Not a moment in time, but a permanent psychological event, one that shaped how they saw themselves, their bodies and their place in the world.” For them, she says, “Silence is not the absence of pain or trauma, but its companion”and that“For circumcision survivors the wound is not just physical, it’s existential.”  

Dr. Leif Thompson. M.D.

A case for unity against childhood genital cutting

Leif is an Alaskan physician and a member of GALDEF’s Board of Directors. He makes a strong case for unity in our efforts to defend all children – girls, boys and those born with innate variations of sexual characteristics (intersex children) – with a single ethically consistent voice.

The one hour symposium concluded with a panel presentation and Q & A session exploring the lived experiences of men harmed by circumcision.

The Darbon Institute and GALDEF purchased booth space at the congress to promote Jonathan Meddings’ book: The Final Cut: The truth about circumcision. The booth space proved to be an invaluable focal point for the many one-on-one conversations that occurred with congress attendees, likely contributing to the success at the Uncut Voices symposium. Jonathan Meddings, Tim Arkell, Jason Simmons and Lachlan Sutherland from the Darbon Institute, as well as Tim and Leif from GALDEF, spent many hours engaged in one-on-one conversations with congress attendees.

Even though Uncut Voices was placed inauspiciously at a time shortly before closing on the last day of the congress, the event was packed! Uncut Voices was one of the best attended events at WAS2025, with an estimated attendance of roughly 100! This far exceeded our expectations, and not only was the event well attended, but those attending were engaged and attentive. Perhaps many had not previously understood male genital cutting to be a sexual rights issue, but those attending were paying attention!

Other notable presentations at WAS2025

Dr. Alfonso Cepeda-Emiliani, a researcher and expert on penile sensory anatomy, presented The dark side of urology: Exposing decades of unethical and ongoing experimental penile neurotomy practices.  In his presentation Alfonso documents the unregulated practice of urologists who sever the sensory nerves to the penis against the recommendations of many urologic organizations and without the patient’s (informed) consent. This practice understandably can create a lifetime of sexual disability. A separate blog entry about this presentation can be viewed here.

Yuko Higashi, professor of gender/sexuality studies at Osaka Metropolitan University of Japan, provided a much needed focus on the neglect of boys within the context of involuntary medically unnecessary genital modifications within her presentation: Whose Voices are Missing? Sexual Justice and Genital Modification of Minors. Of note, Yoko Higashi was a contributor to the landmark articleby the Brussels Collaboration On Bodily Integrity (of which Higashi and Hammond are members), that was published in 2025 by the American Journal of Bioethics.: Genital Modifications in Prepubescent Minors: When May Clinicians Ethically Prodeed?

Successes, reflections, and where we go from here

GALDEF’s acceptance as a member organization within WAS is a major step forward. Likewise, the well-attended receptive audience at Darbon Institute’s symposium: Uncut Voices was a major success, not only for our respective organizations but for the sexual rights of boys and all children. These successes are not accidental. Societal changes in public perceptions and understandings of human rights only happen with our continued presence. We are committed to maintaining a continued presence at WAS, to remain at the forefront of and shaping sexual rights discussions among health, human rights and legal professionals as well as the general public.  We at GALDEF are committed to this path.

When is the next WAS event and will GALDEF be there?

WAS2027 will be held in South Africa, with exact dates and location not yet announced. The leadership team at GALDEF, with the Darbon Institute and others, are already discussing abstract submission ideas to further the advancement of sexual rights of children by protection from genital cutting practices, particularly boys and within an African context. GALDEF will be present at WAS2027!

Where you come in

WAS2027 may seem to be in the distant future, but one thing we do know for certain: registration, travel and lodging will be expensive! Many who attended from GALDEF, as well as from the Darbon Institute, did so without any funding assistance. We are all passionate and willing to sacrifice, however, what is needed for effective change is a sustained effort, which requires sustained donor contributions. GALDEF must not only rely on generous donations from our loyal supporters like you, but we must widen our contributor base as well. Please donate what you can and spread the word about the effective work we’re accomplishing to advance GALDEF’s vision:

To create a world in which the right of everyone to bodily integrity
and the freedom to choose what’s done to their genitals
is legally protected on an equal basis.