Germany proposes rules to ease legal changes of gender

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — The German government has presented a proposal for a law that will make it easier for people to legally change their name and gender, ending decades-old rules that require them to get expert assessments and a court’s authorization. Under the planned “self-determination law,” adults would be able to change their first name and legal gender at registry offices without further formalities. Germany’s minister for families, Lisa Paus said Tuesday that “this way we can give back some of the dignity to those who have been deprived of it for decades.” The existing “transsexual law,” which took effect in 1981, currently requires individuals to obtain assessments from two ”experts” and then a court decision before they can change their gender on official documents.