The Paradox of Trans Law in Sweden

Sweden was the first country in the world to allow a person to legally change gender in 1972. At the same time, the requirements under the 1972 act for changing gender included being unmarried, a Swedish citizen and infertile. The latter in most cases entailed sterilization surgery, a requirement in place until 2013. A trend can be detected in the Swedish legal system during the period from 1972 to 2013 to a greater focus on individual rights generally, as well as specific attention being given to the legal parameters affecting trans persons. The current law has been amended to a certain degree, such as the removal of the requirement of infertility, but the lawmaker has retained several controversial aspects, the social security numbering system disclosing sex (and age), as well as a gendered concept of legal parenthood based on a mother and a father. New legislative inquiries have been called for with respect to trans issues entailing that Swedish law can be seen as still in a period of flux as to fully recognizing needs and achieving trans legal solutions.