Transgender name change becomes easier in Germany

The new law enables transgender people to alter their first name, and gender entry in their ID documents, Junge Freiheit writes. If the new regulation comes into force, people can change their name and sex in their official papers without changing their appearance or undergoing sex reassignment. Showing a declaration of intent to a registrar is sufficient.

Furthermore, minors of 14 years and older are allowed to change their first name and gender with the consent of their parents. If parents disagree, a judge has to decide whether the child can do so anyways.

Anyone who identifies a transgender by his or her previous name or sex is punishable by law. "Deadnaming" is to be fined according to the new legislation.

The Self-Determination Act replaces the current transsexual law. At the moment, transgender people need an expert opinion before they can change their civil status. The German Federal Minister, Lisa Paus, said that the current legislation inappropriately interfered with the privacy of those who feel they belong to the opposite sex. She emphasised that no one has the right to determine the gender of someone else. "We live in a free and diverse society."

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) stresses that the new law aims at normalising sex reassignment. "It is normal not to identify with one's biological birth sex, although statistically, it is a rarity", he said according to Junge Freiheit.

Because the proposal has been accepted, the Federal Government can start creating a law. The official legislation can be ready in six to nine months.