The bill aims to "recognise at an administrative level the self-determination of the people concerned"

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The government wants to make it easier for transgender and intersex people to change their sex and name on identity documents.



An administrative procedure, which will replace the current judicial procedure, will allow civil status changes without the need for a medical certificate, a surgical intervention or hormonal treatment.



The bill aims to "recognise at an administrative level the self-determination of the people concerned," justice minister Félix Braz said on Wednesday, according to a government press release.



Luxembourg parliament's judicial commission analysed the draft law and the opinion of the State Council before unanimously voting for a number of amendments.



Several clarifications were introduced to the bill concerning the procedure.

The text foresees that a written request and the presentation of certain documents will be enough to change someone's sex and first name.



A number of criteria have been determined that allow people to "prove" the sex mentioned in their civil status does not correspond to the one with which they identify.

For instance, someone who lives publicly as the gender they claim to identify with or who has obtained a change of their first name so that it corresponds to the sex claimed.



The procedure will also be opened to foreign residents (registered in the Grand Duchy for at least one year) and to Luxembourgers living abroad.



Around 3,700 people could be affected in Luxembourg, according to estimates that about 0.7% of men and 0.6% of women are transgender or intersex.



The judicial commission's rapporteur for the text, Greens member of parliament Sam Tanson, will present the bill to Chamber of Deputies at the end of July.



Members of the commission welcomed the creation of a simplified procedure, which, according to them, is "highly anticipated" by people affected.

The new bill was inspired by a former legislative attempt by Christian Social People's Party MPs Sylvie Andrich-Duval and Françoise Hetto-Gaasch.