Spain Approves Draft Bill in “Giant Step” towards Gender Self-Identification

THE Spanish government have approved a draft bill in a “giant step” towards gender self-identification.

The draft bill, known as the “trans law” is one of the projects of the left coalition government and will mean Spain will become the largest European country that will allow people aged 16 and over to legally change their name and gender on identification documents without having to undergo years of hormone therapy.

The bill will also make this possible for 14 and 15-year-olds with the consent of their legal guardian, and for 12 and 13-year-olds with approval from the court, El Pais reports.

Equality Minster, Irene Montero said: “We are making history with a law that takes a giant leap for the rights of trans and LGBTI people.”

The initiative by the governing socialist party (PSOE) and Unidas Podemos will make the country “the vanguard of Europe, of the countries fighting and protecting their citizens regardless of their differences because everyone is equal in terms of their rights,” said Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo yesterday, June 29.

“We are making history with a law that takes a giant leap for the rights of trans and LGBTI people,” said Equality Minister Irene Montero, adding that the draft bill is “proof of the strength of the coalition government.”

The draft will also prohibit conversion therapies that aim to change a person’s sexual orientation, gives access again to assisted reproduction through the public healthcare system to lesbian, bisexual and single women – something that they were excluded from seven years ago – and “trans people who can conceive” would be included on the list. Additionally, it would allow lesbian women to officially be listed as a co-parent to their partners’ child or children.

The draft bill will also mean that intersex individuals will have more rights and will not have medical intervention to alter their sex characteristics unless it is for health reasons, genders will not have to be specified for the first year of a child’s life, and diversity will be included in education curriculums.

Government spokesperson, María Jesús Montero, claimed that the Spanish society is “plural, a lot more mature and progressive than some of the most conservative sectors would have us believe. Whether they like it or not, this government will keep working on this line of social and civil law accomplishments.”

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