Sweden Poised to End Forced Sterilization

[Inchante]

Wow, the things you never knew you never knew. I hope this goes through. There is a video that goes to this.

Swedish trans people and LGBT activists have something to celebrate this week, as the country—one of 17 in the European Union that requires sterilization for people who wish to switch genders on legal documents—may soon repeal the requirement. As I reported previously, Sweden's liberal and moderate members of parliament expressed desire to remove forced sterilization last month, only to be blocked by an opposing coalition of conservative political groups led by the Christian Democrat Party. Now, according to the Swedish paper The Local, the Christian Democrat Party appears to have reversed its stance, making way for the repeal.

On February 18, The Local reported that Christian Democrat leader Göran Hägglund and others in the party "outlined the party's new position in that it now wants the law changed and the sex-change sterilization requirement removed." Why the sudden change in opinion? When the Christian Democrats and others announced that they would not support repealing forced sterilization, the news sparked outrage on the internet and among advocacy groups, sending shockwaves through international media. One petition by AllOut.org received nearly 80,000 signatures. The public pressure seems to have achieved some success.

Still, it's not clear exactly when the sterilization requirement will be repealed. According to Andre Banks, executive director of All Out, "[the repeal]'s going to happen, it’s just a question of whether the bureaucratic process takes two months, or four months, or six months, and activists in Sweden are going to keep the pressure on." Once the law is officially reversed, trans people in Sweden will get to have their ID and legal documents changed to reflect their gender "without having to go through what is often a really embarrassing terrifying process," Banks says.

Banks and other activists working on the All Out campaign hope that reversing forced sterilization in Sweden will send a signal to other European countries. By working closely with partners, he says, their goal is "to find moments where international solidarity can help tip the balance in favor of greater equality."

Edit: So the original post I placed can be found here. I just thought the other article was better.
http://www.towleroad.com/2012/02/allloutswed.html

[Rainbowmum]

Thanks for the share Inchante I had no clue about this.
Awesome news , a step in the right direction,lets hope the other 16 countries follow.

[HollandofFrance]

i heard about this about 7 weeks ago

[Inchante]

Thanks for the share Inchante I had no clue about this.
Awesome news , a step in the right direction,lets hope the other 16 countries follow.

Yes, I was wondering if there were similar actions going on in the other countries but the article did not say. It would be good to have link so that we could continue pressuring these countries to change their policies.

[OrphanPip]

It seems that what the law actually says though is that full surgical transition is required for a legal gender change. I certainly agree that transgender individuals should have the right to officially change genders without surgery. However, I think it's a little misleading to refer to the above legal condition as "forced sterilization."

[Inchante]

It seems that what the law actually says though is that full surgical transition is required for a legal gender change. I certainly agree that transgender individuals should have the right to officially change genders without surgery. However, I think it's a little misleading to refer to the above legal condition as "forced sterilization."

That is the language that trans people of Sweden have used. You can checkout the video in the link. But, does it really matter? Seriously? Is it still not a draconian law that should be changed? Should they have to give up the right to have children to be legally recognized as a male or female? Sorry, the science has not caught up to the point to allow trans people to have children after full transition . . . should the society then require them to be sterilized for legal recognition?

[Sylph]

And what exactly do you mean by sterilization per se? The actual act of making them infertile? What would be the purpose of doing that?

Either way, I believe change is good and hooray for Sweden . The world is slowly turning from it's dark grey old self, to a bright sphere of rainbows and flowers and love. :3 .

[Inchante]

Pregnant Man Thomas Beatie

Beatie, who was born female in 1974 and named Tracy Lagondino, had sex-reassignment surgery in 2002 and legally changed from female to male in Hawaii. But Beatie had never undergone “bottom” surgery, known as phalloplasty, to create an artificial penis. He also left his female reproductive organs in place and said the decision to bear children came after his wife, Nancy, found out she could not.

[OrphanPip]

That is the language that trans people of Sweden have used. You can checkout the video in the link. But, does it really matter? Seriously? Is it still not a draconian law that should be changed? Should they have to give up the right to have children to be legally recognized as a male or female? Sorry, the science has not caught up to the point to allow trans people to have children after full transition . . . should the society then require them to be sterilized for legal recognition?

It's politically good language to use to forward their point, but I don't think it's entirely a fair use of language. "Forced" is a charged word, and what is really at issue here is a state that maintains a mandatory relationship between gender and the body. It's not that the state wants them to be sterilized, but the state wants bodies to conform to gender. They shouldn't be required to change their bodies surgically for recognition, but the sterilization is rather a side-effect of the state policy rather than the intention of the legislation. The state also likely has practical concerns involved with the legislation. After all, this condition is an easy way to insure that people do not switch gender as a way of evading debt or something. The state does have a concern in making sure that only legitimately transgender people have access to official gender changes. Gender has far-reaching consequences across issues of employment, health, and tax benefits in a highly socialized economy like that of Sweden.

I agree that the previous policy was archaic and that a change is certainly called for. However, I think it's a bit hyperbolic to make the policy out to be a barbaric anti-trans stance. In some countries trans individuals can't even change genders with the surgical change. The policy is not moving from one of transphobia to affirmation of transgender identity, but just moving more towards an open and inclusive policy of transgender status.

Also, there are certainly trans people who would agree that the body must be changed to conform to gender, and who discriminate against trans people who do not transition.

[Rainbowmum]

That is so heart warming.
What a wonderful gift that little one is.