“German Parliament Set to Vote on Simplifying Legal Name and Gender Changes”

German lawmakers are poised to vote on Friday regarding a government proposal aimed at simplifying the process for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary individuals to change their name and gender on official documents.

The proposed “self-determination law,” part of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s liberal-leaning coalition government’s agenda since assuming office in late 2021, is slated to come into effect on November 1st.

Under this legislation, adults would be able to change their first name and legal gender at registry offices without undergoing additional formalities. However, they would be required to notify the office three months in advance of making the change.

Currently, the “transsexual law,” established four decades ago, mandates individuals seeking gender changes on official documents to obtain assessments from two experts familiar with transgender issues, followed by a court decision. However, Germany’s highest court has struck down certain provisions of this law, including requirements for transgender individuals to undergo divorce, sterilization, and gender-transition surgery.

The proposed law primarily focuses on individuals’ legal identities and does not involve revisions to Germany’s regulations concerning gender-transition surgery.

Minors aged 14 and above would be permitted to change their name and legal gender with parental or guardian approval. In cases where consent is not granted, teenagers could seek intervention from a family court.

For children under the age of 14, parents or guardians would need to file applications with registry offices on their behalf.

Upon formalizing the change of name and gender, individuals would be prohibited from making further alterations for a year. Additionally, the legislation ensures that operators of facilities such as gyms and women’s changing rooms retain the authority to determine access.

Nyke Slawik, a lawmaker with the Greens and one of two transgender women elected in 2021, expressed support for the proposed law, highlighting the potential time and financial savings it could offer individuals navigating the existing system.

Numerous countries, including Spain and the UK, have implemented similar reforms aimed at simplifying legal gender recognition processes. Scholz’s government has also pursued various socially progressive initiatives, such as legalizing limited cannabis possession, easing citizenship rules, and lifting restrictions on dual citizenship, among others.