The adoptive parents of an 8-year-old child who received sex-assignment surgery as an infant, are suing the state of South Carolina for allowing doctors to perform the unnecessary and potentially harmful surgery that was intended to "make the child a girl."

The child, identified by The Advocate as M.C., was born intersex (as some children are), or with sexual organs that do not fit squarely into the categorization of male or female. At birth, doctors decided M.C. was male because of the presence of a phallus. Later, however, doctors were like "Just kidding!" and decided M.C. was actually a girl. They strongly suggested that the now 16-month-old M.C., who had been born into the care of the state of South Carolina, should be returned to the hospital so that doctors could white-out the "M" in the box marked "sex" on the birth certificate, and also perform the highly-invasive surgery to remove the penis. This despite the fact that intersex surgery is no longer considered an appropriate medical practice by any means.

M.C.'s parents, Mark and Pam Crawford, adopted the child shortly after the surgery and are now suing the State as well as the hospital and other caregivers for damages.

The lawsuit—which is to be the first of its kind according to WYFF 4—alleges that doctors were not forthcoming with information involving the risks of the surgery, stating that "there was no compelling reason that [the child] should either be made male or female."

The Crawfords believe M.C. was subjected to "dangerous and mutilating surgery" for the purpose of "conforming to society." Meanwhile, they said, M.C. has been identifying himself as a boy.

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