Why The Eff Is Sweden Sterlizing Its Trans Citizens?

By:           Daniel Villarreal
On:           Aug 8, 2011

http://www.queerty.com/why-the-eff-is-sweden-sterlizing-its-trans-citizens-20110808/

Sweden apparently has a 1972 law on its books where in order to get a sex-change operation you have to be over 18-years-old, a Swedish citizen, be unmarried and get sterilized. We have no idea how this law made it onto the books, but it came about at a time when Sweden forced sterilization on 63,000 mentally disabled people, epileptics, and people with alleged social problems so that they could get married or be released from mental institutions.

So... that means that Sweden thinks only people with mental problems want a sex change? Ugh.

The National Board of Health and Welfare and Liberal Party want the sterilization requirement revoked but the Christian Democrats and the Sweden Democrats want to keep it.

This Swedish girl on Youtube mentioned it one time. That shouldn't be a law.

Quote from: Zythyra on August 09, 2011, 06:24:57 PM
in order to get a sex-change operation you have to be over 18-years-old, a Swedish citizen, be unmarried and get sterilized.

There's nothing remarkable about these requirements. That was the standard in this country back in 1972, though it wasn't made a law. Today GRS surgeons still require proof that you are physically or chemically castrated before surgery.

I'm not sure about the Swedish law, but aren't you sterile after GRS?

Cindy

I'm not sure either, but I think the girl said they don't allow banking to transsexuals.

Oh Ok, but isn't Sweden part of the EU? and those 'laws' would have been over written? I think but I have no factual evidence. I'm a long swim from the EU. But I thought TG girls in the UK etc could bank, so what's good for one EU country applies to all, I thought?

Cindy

Quote from: valeriedances on August 10, 2011, 05:21:13 AM
Doesnt estrogen make you sterile already, so this would be a non issue?

Yes, after about six months.

I didn't see anything bad here.
Here in Czech republic (also EU) if you want to change gender in documents, you also have to be sterilized (or have GRS/SRS of course), it is logical and came from legal definition of male/female
If they force someone it is other thing, but it is 30 years ago

I think a lot of people (mostly those who are leaving comments on the site) must have misread this item. The author says that you have to be sterilized before you have a "sex-change" surgery, not that you have to be sterilized before you can change your documents or whatever.

So...if this is true, does it mean that in order for a gal to have vaginoplasty, she first has to have a separate orchie surgery before she can get approval for vaginoplasty? Why not do it all at once? And what's the deal with the guys? I suppose it would depend on the definitions--of both sterilization and sex-change surgery (indelicately put, I thought).

I'm wondering if the person who wrote this piece simply made a mistake and meant that you must be sterilized before you can have your documents changed.

ETA: Or maybe the author just meant that sterilization has to be part of the surgery? Either way, the piece needs to be revised for clarity.