NORWAY (BP) – Norwegians as young as 6 can now legally change their gender using an online form – without a doctor’s approval, counseling, or surgery.
The law, adopted with a 79-13 vote by the Norwegian parliament in June, makes Norway the fifth country in the world to pass a similar law, and the second behind Malta to include children. While the process in Malta requires a parent to seek court approval for the gender change, children in Norway apply for the change using the same process and paperwork as adults.
Under the law, a person who wants to identify as a gender that does not correspond to his or her biological sex must submit an online form and return a mailed letter confirming the decision. Once approved, the individual receives a new national identification number allowing him or her to update official forms of identification. So far, every applicant – more than 250, including nine minors – have been approved.
