Norway’s Minister of Health, Bent Høie , has announced that his right wing government would like to give transgender people complete control over their own legal gender status.

Trans people will no longer have to be accepted by the medical gatekeepers to have their legal status changed, and no longer will surgery and castration be required.

Conservative radicals

If someone finds the idea of a Conservative minister fighting for trans rights confusing, they should keep in mind that not all Conservatives are like Putin or Cruz.

Bent Høie is married to a man.

No obligatory waiting period

The Minister also dismisses the need for an obligatory waiting period for trans people asking for such a change in status. Most likely all that will be needed is a click in a form on the Internet.

He has explained why in an earlier interview:

“When I started working on these issues, I believed that a period of reflection was necessary – before you take such an important decision. But, a meeting with Skeiv Ungdom [the Norwegian organization “Queer Youth”] made it clear to me that such a requirement is unreasonable for those concerned.



These people have had a lot of time for thinking. Some of them have felt a misalignment between body and gender since they were small kids, while others have spent a lot of time questioning and doubting their way to the same answer.



To demand a period of reflection means that they will once again feel that they are not believed or taken seriously. You tell them that they have not spent enough time to think this through on their own.“



From the age of 16

The age requirement to change gender will be lowered from 18 to 16, with no parental authorization required.



There is no reason to doubt that this legislation will be accepted by Parliament.

Photo: Norwegian Minister of Health, Bent Høie, and transgender lesbian activist Christine Marie Jentoft. (Photo: Reidar Engesbak, Blikk)



See also: Norway to allow gender change without medical intervention

Photo: Reidar Engesbak, Blikk.