For us, it is important both to facilitate individuals who are in a vulnerable situation and to ensure that the legislation is not abused, says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M).
The new law was introduced just six months ago and makes the process of changing legal gender smoother. Previously, a gender dysphoria diagnosis was required; now a medical certificate is sufficient. In addition, the age limit has been lowered from 18 to 16 years.
But recently, cases where gender reassignment surgery was performed under the new law have received a lot of attention. Among them is a father who was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his two children and who is to be transferred to a women's institution after changing his legal gender.
“Reasons to limit”
Strömmer writes, together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, in an Aftonbladet debate piece that they want to investigate whether the number of applications to change legal gender has increased and how the law affects the safety of women.
The three Moderates also want to ensure that the Gender Identity Act cannot be exploited by criminals, who change their legal gender so that the police have more difficulty following them in criminal and suspect registers.
The political parties have never agreed on the new gender identity law. Both SD and KD voted against it and have demanded that the law be repealed.
KD leader Ebba Busch writes after M's announcement that KD will do what it can "to help the parties that made a mistake correct this."
"At the same time, it is time to remind ourselves of this simple fact - we now have legislation that should never have seen the light of day. The only reasonable thing to do is to roll back the tape," writes Busch on X.
“Rewind the tape”
Jessica Stegrud, social policy spokesperson for the SD, also welcomes the Moderates' announcement but is critical at the same time.
It would have been better to do the right thing from the start. I hope the Moderates realized the problem, and they didn't really have their entire parliamentary group with them, but there is probably an internal opinion that is quite strong. These high-profile cases have of course not calmed that opinion.
The proposal for a review just six months after the law came into force comes from M, not the government, which Strömmer justifies by saying that the entire handling of the law had to take place in the Riksdag, since the government could not agree on a bill.
Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson (L) writes in a comment that the Liberals are always prepared to review laws if they can be exploited by criminals.
According to Strömmer, "when any legal changes can be implemented remains to be seen."
