Members of the French Parliament should ensure respect for the human rights of trans people

• Read the joint NGO statement in full here (in English).

• The statement is available to download in French here.

Currently, due to the lack of a legislative framework on legal gender recognition, trans people in France cannot obtain legal recognition of their gender unless they undergo a long judicial procedure. Courts often require them to produce evidence of gender reassignment treatment, including psychiatric diagnosis of gender identity disorder and sterilization. 

Today, a Committee composed of members of the French National Assembly and the Senate will discuss a legislative proposal passed by the National Assembly on 19 May. On the basis of the current proposal, trans people will be allowed to obtain legal recognition of their gender, but in order to do so they will have to produce evidence that may include medical certificates. 

Amnesty International, ILGA-Europe and Transgender Europe call on French MPs to amend the proposal to ensure that trans people can obtain legal gender recognition through a procedure that does not impose on them abusive requirements and that fully respects their human rights.