More than 22,000 citizens in Germany have changed their gender since the government allowed people last year to determine and register their gender without court approval.
On the 29th (local time), Stern in Germany reported, citing Federal Statistical Office data, that more than 22,000 people changed their gender over the nine months from November last year, when the Self-Determination Act on gender took effect, through July this year. That is more than 30 times the total of 596 in January–October last year before the law took effect.
According to Stern, in the first two months, 33% of applications to change gender were from male to female, and 45% were from female to male. In Germany, the selectable genders also include "diverse" and "unspecified," in addition to male and female.
Germany had already allowed gender changes. However, a doctor's psychological assessment and a court decision were required, which drew criticism for infringing on LGBTQ rights, leading to the introduction and implementation of a new gender registration system.
The new system was introduced under the progressive "traffic light" coalition, led by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens. The center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, pledged in the general election early this year to change the system.
However, after forming a coalition with the SPD in May this year, it softened its stance to maintain the system through July next year and to review its impact on children, adolescents, and women.