Gender Self-Determination Act takes effect Germany

Today marks a milestone for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary individuals in Germany, as a new law, the Self-Determination Act, comes into effect, making it significantly easier to change gender markers and names on official records. This law allows adults and minors, under certain conditions, to legally change their gender and names without the previously mandated assessments and legal hearings, representing a shift in the country’s approach to personal identity documentation.

Under the new regulations, individuals aged 18 and older can apply to change their names and gender markers, or even choose to remove the gender marker entirely. The process is designed to be straightforward: applicants file an official request, wait for a mandatory three-month reflection period, and then confirm the change. This update eliminates the former requirement for two psychiatric evaluations and a court hearing, which many found invasive and unnecessary. With these changes, Germany aligns more closely with other European countries adopting self-identification policies for gender changes, including Denmark, Norway, and Ireland.

For minors, the Self-Determination Act includes tailored provisions. Young people aged 14 and above can make these changes with parental consent, but in cases where parents disagree, minors have the option to pursue legal channels to seek approval. For children under 14, parents may act on their behalf, provided the child is physically present at the registry office and gives their own verbal or written assent, ensuring that the child’s voice is acknowledged in the process.

LGBTQ+ rights advocates in Germany have celebrated the law, seeing it as a long-overdue recognition of gender diversity and individual autonomy. “This is an important step toward affirming self-identity in a legal context,” said an advocate from the German Lesbian and Gay Association. “By eliminating bureaucratic hurdles and unnecessary medical steps, the Self-Determination Act respects individuals’ autonomy over their identity.”