Spanish government approves draft bill to allow gender self-identification
Madrid, Jun 29 (EFE).- The Spanish government approved Tuesday a legislative proposal that would grant citizens over the age of 14 the right to change their sex on the civil registry with no need for proof, witnesses or medical certificates.
The draft bill, approved after months-long negotiations between the governing coalition parties, the Socialists and junior partner Unidas Podemos, will now undergo a series of consultation procedures before moving on to a Parliament vote.
“We intend to overcome the historical invisibility, stigmatization and lack of recognition for the rights of the LGBTI community,” said the Spanish government’s spokesperson María Jesús Montero.
The concerned person’s will to change their civil registry sex identification will be the only requisite to enable the modification.
The proposal also establishes a mechanism to avoid an abusive use of the system: those who have changed their sex on the civil registry will need judicial authorization to do so again, and a change of mind can only be carried out once.
The law will also ban conversion therapy, or other alienating attempts to influence and modify sexual orientation, expression, and identity.
The response from the LGBTQ collective has been positive overall, although many take issue with the exclusion of migrant trans people and non-binary individuals. EFE
mop/lv/jt
