The German Parliament passed an unprecedented law making it easier for transgender and non-binary people to change their information on their official documents. The legislation will be effective from August 2024.
The new law replaces Germany's Transsexual Law of 1980 (Transsexuellengesetz), which requires trans people to submit to a local court two expert reports attesting to a high degree of probability that the applicant does not want to return to their previous legal gender. Human Rights Watch reported, "The German Constitutional Court had previously struck down other draconian aspects of the law, including surgical requirements for gender recognition."
Human Rights Watch reported that with the new law, trans and non-binary people will be able to go to a civil registry office and change their gender and first name through a simple declaration. No expert opinions or medical certificates will be required. The applicant will be able to choose from several gender markers (male, female, or diverse) or they can choose not to list any gender.
The decision comes at a time when various countries are debating the impacts these policies have on society. Experts have cautioned against gender changes being pursued without proper professional guidance. Likewise, warnings have been given about the consequences for women that people born men can be in places that should be safe for them.
In fact, well-known people, including writer JK Rowling, have criticized these types of initiatives because they consider that they affect biological women. Rowling has had a very clear stance on trans people. She has insisted that it is a danger to allow 'biological' men to participate in spaces that should be strictly for women only. Last year, the author said in the Witch Trails of JK Rowling podcast episode that she had tried to understand the trans community but, finally, came to the conclusion that there was something "dangerous" behind the movement:
Time will tell whether I've got this wrong. I can only say that I've thought about it deeply and hard and long and I've listened, I promise, to the other side. And I believe absolutely that there is something dangerous about this movement and it must be challenged. But at the same time, I have to tell you, a ton of "Potter" fans were still with me. And in fact, a ton of "Potter" fans were grateful that I'd said what I said.
German Interior Minister Marco Buschmann responded to criticism by stating that, in his opinion, it does not pose a threat to anyone.
"The reform of the naming law brings new freedoms and does not take anything away from anyone! There is no bad time for such reforms. Because names are an important expression of one's identity," Buschmann wrote on his X account.
Wer sagt denn, dass wir nur an einem einzigen Thema arbeiten?😉Die Reform des Namensrechts bringt neue Freiheiten und nimmt niemandem etwas weg! Für solche Reformen gibt es keinen falschen Zeitpunkt. Denn Namen sind ein wichtiger Ausdruck der eigenen Identität. TB
— Marco Buschmann (@MarcoBuschmann) April 12, 2024
