German Catholic laity back trans rights

 "A good day for human dignity": ZdK president welcomes draft for self-determination law

"It is a good day for self-determination and human dignity," says the President of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), Dr Irme Stetter-Karp. "The fact that the federal cabinet today approved the draft law for a self-determination law is a milestone. The new law, which the Bundestag is expected to vote on in the fall, will draw a line under the more than 40-year-old transsexual law, which was never worthy of the Basic Law."

The ZdK president points out that the planned law is only the beginning: "I am firmly convinced that the work for improved social participation of trans* and inter* people must not end with the introduction of the self-determination law. There is still much to do."

The ZdK had issued a statement on the draft text in May. It said, "The ZdK expressly welcomes the expressed objective of bringing about a uniform regulation for the change of gender and first names in the civil status register, which is based on a self-determined decision by the persons concerned. We also welcome the fact that this decision is clearly separated from the decision on physical changes through medical measures."

It is now a matter of expanding counseling services and not subjecting them to the dictates of tight budgets, says Stetter-Karp. "Knowledgeable, open-ended and free counseling, especially for minors, is essential."

The ZdK welcomes in detail that the text of the law aims to make a name change possible after a three-month waiting period from registration of the change at the registry office without further restrictions. It also welcomes the assurance that previous name and gender entries will not be made public.

In the course of the upcoming legal change, the ZdK also calls on the Catholic Church to "implement the paradigm shift this entails." The ZdK president leaves no doubt "that the recognition of the rights of trans* and inter* people is also on the agenda in the church." 

The plenary assembly of the ZdK had already welcomed a key points paper of the Federal Government on the planned self-determination law with a large majority in December 2022. In the resolution of the assembly, the Catholic Church is also called upon to "respect and protect the right of self-determination" and not to sanction employees who made use of it.

Translated from their press release