Spain Approved Law To Allow Individuals Over 16 To Change Their Legal Gender Without Parental Or Medical Supervision 

Unsplash/Tingey Injury Law Firm


On Thursday, Spain lawmakers reportedly passed a law that allows individuals over 16 years old to adjust their

“legally registered gender”

without parental or medical oversight, according to the New York Post

The Post reports,

“The legislation passed in Spain’s lower house of Parliament 188-150, replacing a previous law that required people to consult with a doctor before making the change on their government IDs.” 

Underaged children are allowed to make adjustments to their ID with a judge’s approval and minors between the ages of 14 and 16 can make the change only if they’re chaperoned by a legal guardian or parent.

In the past, Spanish individuals who are transgender needed to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria by multiple doctors. If you’re unaware, according to NHS,

“Gender dysphoria is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity.”

Previously, some cases required individuals who wanted to change their legal gender to prove that they have been living as the gender they identified with for two years or show proof that they’ve been taking hormones. 

Transgender rights groups celebrated the approved bill, as they said it showcases a

“before and after”

moment

“in LGBT rights,”

reports The Post. 

BBC reported that members in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s socialist party opposed the new law as they were nervous that it would deteriorate women’s rights. A former deputy prime minister Sanchez, Carmen Calvo said,

“When gender is asserted over biological sex, it does not seem to me to be a step forward in a progressive direction; it seems to be a step backwards. The state has to provide answers for transgender people, but gender is neither voluntary nor optional.” 

However, the Equality Minister of the Podemos Party, Irene Montero, believes the law ensures trans individuals’ rights 

 Montero said,

“Trans women are women.” 

The law was disapproved of by conservatives; however, it was passed after an 18-month parliamentary debate. 

The bill is anticipated to officially become law once the senate passes it, which is predicted to happen by the end of the year. 

Over a dozen countries have embraced equivalent gender identity lawmaking. 

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