What is self-determination?

Self-determination is a broad term that refers to the capacity of people to make decisions independently. Therefore, it can refer, for example, to people with a disability who are able to make their own choices in daily life without being hindered or underestimated.

Sometimes, the term self-determination is used in the context of euthanasia and assisted suicide, also called self-determined death. In this context, self-determination means being able to choose your own time and way of dying.

However, nowadays, the term is often used to refer to the freedom people have to determine their own gender. Some political parties believe that all people should have the right to this freedom, called the right to self-determination. They plead for laws that enable people to change their legal gender at the registry office without going to a judge or obtaining an expert opinion on the matter before they can do so.

What are the ethical considerations around self-determination?

The traditional Christian view teaches that there are only two genders, given by God. Male and female He created them, the Bible says. Therefore, conservative Christians reject the notion of being able to choose one's own gender separate from his or her biological sex. They see this binary view on sexuality as part of the created order.

The same applies to the context of self-determined death. The traditional Christian view believes that God determines the time of