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HELSINKI: Wednesday, Finnish lawmakers approved amendments that will significantly simplify the process of changing one's legally recognized gender in the Nordic nation.
A provision that required transgender individuals to provide a medical certificate proving they were infertile or sterilized before the government would recognize their gender identity was also eliminated by the amendments, which are anticipated to take effect as soon as possible. The purpose of that section of the current law was to prevent transgender people from having children.
The 200-member Eduskunta of Finland's parliament approved the modifications, which had been the subject of intense debate in recent months, by a vote of 113 to 69.
In Finland, transgender people over the age of 18 can self-declare their gender change without having to provide a psychiatric assessment or a certificate proving their ability to reproduce. These types of requests can only be made once a year to prevent misuse of the revised law.
Matti Pihlajamaa, the LGBTI rights advisor for Amnesty International Finland, stated in a statement, "By passing this act, Finland has taken a major step towards protecting trans people's rights, improving their lives, and right to self-determination."
Earlier, Prime Minister Sanna Marin stated that the center-left government's priority for the remaining two months of the Cabinet's term was to approve the amendments. Beginning in April, Finland will hold general elections.
Last month, Spanish lawmakers passed a bill that lets people change their gender by self-declaration. On the other hand, Scottish lawmakers passed a similar bill in December, but the British government vetoed it.