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A demonstrator campaigns for the rights of gay, transgender, intersex and non-binary people at Christopher Street Day 2021 in Berlin
Photo: Clemens Bilan / EPA
The majority of Germans identify with their gender.
But there are people who would like to make a self-determined decision for a different gender.
The traffic light would like to make it much easier for those affected to freely change their gender and first name at the registry office.
This is what a concept presented today in Berlin by the Federal Ministries of Justice and Family for a new self-determination law envisages.
If the new regulation is implemented as planned, it will no longer matter whether the person is transgender, non-binary or intergender when it comes to entering gender and first names.
Reports on sexual identity or a medical certificate should not be required as a prerequisite for a change.
The regulation is intended to replace the transsexual law, which many people feel is outdated and discriminatory.
Interhumans are people whose physical gender does not fit the medical norm of male or female bodies, but falls somewhere in between.
Non-binary refers to people who have neither a male nor a female gender identity.
Trans people do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth.
Different rules for minors up to and including 14 years
For minors up to the age of 14, the legal guardians should submit the declaration of change to the registry office.
Young people from the age of 14 should be able to submit the declaration themselves, but with the consent of their parents.
The key points paper formulated by the two ministries states the following with regard to possible contentious cases for the group of minors from the age of 14: »In order to protect the personal rights of young people, the family court can provide guidance in cases in which the persons having custody do not agree in the best interests of the child - as in other constellations in family law - replace the decision of the parents at the request of the minor.«
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) and Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) expressly pointed out that their planned law would not contain any provisions on the question of any physical gender reassignment measures.
Such measures would continue to be decided on the basis of specialist medical regulations.
"The transsexual law dates back to 1980 and is degrading for those affected," said Paus.
Buschmann said: 'The applicable law treats the persons concerned as if they were sick.
There is no justification for that.«
mrc/dpa