Androgynous model Andrej Pejic

There is some times that I’m ashamed to live in Sweden. We’re the top of many human rights laws, but we’re archaic when it comes to others.

Example, since 1972 we have an unchanged law that all who wish to undergo a sex change has to be a swedish citizen and over 18. Those two are not so bad, but then we come to the last two requirements.

You can’t be married and you have to get sterilized.

The. Fuck.

This law about forced sterilization comes from a time where Sweden sterilized people with mental disabilities, epileptics as well as people with alleged social problems. Not only do you have to get sterilized if you want to transition, you’re also forbidden to freeze your sperm/eggs. Apparently transgender people aren’t allowed to have biological children and you have to get a divorced even if the spouse is ok with the transition.

When it comes to other countries The Netherlands, France, Australia and many U.S states also still practice forced sterilization, while other like Germany and Italy have overturned similiar legislation in their countries.

Recently there has been talk about Sweden finally removing this law, even our Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt called the law and the sterilizations a “dark chapter in Swedish history”. There are still some who opposes a repeal though. The Christian Democrats can be quoted saying; ” sex reassignment surgery is a threat to traditional social roles”

Well, isn’t that just fucked up.

I can only hope that this nightmare for all out there who wish to transition ends soon. I can only imagine what it most feel like to have your chance for biological children being robbed from you.

Although adopted children would be just as loved and cherished, not being able to choose must be incredibly painful.

My thoughts are with you, It get’s better. It has to.

Ditzy Rainbow

(You can find more articles on the subject here, here, here and here.)