[hankhavelock]

The fact remains that it's very difficult to have one's legal gender changed. In most countries such a change will AT LEAST demand a full SRS. I am obviously opposed to such drastic measures as a democratic justification of some one to change their legal status.

I believe that two factors should be enough to qualify the applicant to change his or her legal gender:

1. Having been diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria
2. Having lived as the preferred gender for some time

Regarding Gender Dysphoria I always disliked the concept of viewing transsexuality as a disease - but I can, of course, accept that we view it as a condition and not least as a reality. And it's diagnosable. Furthermore, it would appear that science is getting very close to pinpointing what it exactly is that makes some people transsexual. So in other words, here we have a factor that is definable. And that should be enough for the judicial system.

Regarding having lived as the preferred gender for some time I believe that manifesting one's true gender publicly (I'm not talking about sexual orientation here) is a necessity as a proof of honesty and as a safe guard that only the serious get the change - and noone would probably be diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria without such a public manifestation. How ever, given the promises of scientific research, we may soon arrive at a point where the condition can be determinded anyway. And that probably would rule out the necessity of this second point. Or what?

What do you think?

H