People in Switzerland will witness simplification of the gender switch process from January 1st 2022 where people will be ensured of a legal gender change with just a formal visit to the civil registry office, according to reports. With it, Switzerland will join the league of those European countries which recognize gender change without any hormone therapy, medical diagnosis or bureaucratic measures.
Basically, a person can ‘become’ a man or woman or any gender as per individual wishes, and will be legally recognised so, without needing any medical procedure, therapy or vetting, by just registering themselves as per their gender of choice.
According to the new rules which are being introduced into Switzerland’s civil code, any Swiss citizen who have attained 16 years of age or above will have the right to change their gender status including their legal name through a simple self declaration at the civil registry office. Younger swiss people below the age of 16 will require the guardian consent.
The simplification of the gender change process will mean that people in Switzerland would no longer require certificates from medical professionals to confirm their gender identity. People in Switzerland will thus have the complete freedom to decide their gender without any regulation other than the registry. Other European countries with lesser regulations on gender change include Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Norway.
Notably, Switzerland known as a socially conservative in the past had also legalized civil marriage of the same sex couples and adoption of children for such couples in September. Another south western country in Europe, Spain has been working on a bill that would allow anyone above 14 years to switch gender legally without the need of medical diagnosis or hormone therapy.
In Scotland, the police have recently faced criticism after they declared that while documenting rape crimes they will use the ‘chosen gender’ of the perpetrator of the crime even when the rapist has male genitalia.
