Germany's Self-Determination Act Replaces 1980 Transsexuals Law

Germany's Self-Determination Act (Selbstbestimmungsgesetz) came into force, allowing individuals aged 14 and over to change their gender marker and first name through a simple declaration at a civil registry office with no psychiatric evaluations, court hearings, or medical interventions required. The Act replaced the 1980 Transsexuals Act which had been declared unconstitutional across multiple rulings. In the first two months, 10,589 gender changes were registered — compared to just 596 in the preceding ten months under the old law.