German law allows citizens to change their official gender once a year, every year

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In a law expected to pass in Germany, citizens will be allowed to change their gender and first name once a year, every year. There will be no requirement for anyone seeking a name and gender change to undergo any sort of surgical operation, hormone therapy, or psychiatric consult. 

Under the “Self-Determination Act,” any individual who identifies as transgender, intersex, or non-binary will be able to change their gender by simply paying a visit to a registry office and filling out a form. 

Under the law, which is expected to pass in parliament before it goes on a summer break, individuals will no longer have to submit a medical report or obtain a court order to change their name and gender. 

“For the disabled, the law is humiliating. We will finally replace it with a modern law of self-determination. The Self-Determination Act will improve the lives of transgender people and recognize gender diversity,” reportedly said Family Minister Lisa Paus. 

“In many areas, society is further ahead of legislation. As a government, we have decided to create a legal framework for an open, diverse and modern society," she added.

The legislation will officially codify gender dysphoria, which is a mental illness, into a fundamental right. The condition, which was previously treated as a psychological condition, will now be given the same validation as same-sex attraction. 

According to polls conducted by YouGov, 46% of Germans approve of the government's plans to affirm gender dysphoria as a legitimate identity. 

The law is only seeing opposition from feminist groups who argue that the legislation will take rights and safety away from women and the German conservative AfD party. 

The legislation “has nothing to do with freedom but is an expression of blatant denial of reality. In biology, laws cannot simply be ignored,” said AfD’s Stephan Brandner, a member of the German parliament, Summit News reported. 

The CDU party has also voiced opposition to the legislation, saying it could lead to “arbitrariness” in how government documents identify persons. 

The FDP party argues that the law could make it easier for criminals to evade police or creditors by changing their name and identity.