Current Version
| Region | Estonia |
| Issue | Right to change legal gender |
| Status | Legal, no restrictions |
| Start Date | May 7, 1999 |
| End Date | now |
| Description | The current law concerning legal gender recognition dates from 7 May 1999, the Common Requirements for Medical Operations for Gender Reassignment. Transgender people are not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery since 1997, sterilisation or divorce their partner, due to the specific wording of the Family Law Act. From October 2021, neither genetic testing or hormone replacement therapy are mandatory to later change legal data. First appointment with a medical expert committee is required to receive a ministerial decree authorizing hormone replacement therapy, followed by a second appointment with the same committee authorizing the change of legal data. Diagnosis from a psychiatrist before first committee appointment strongly recommended, committee bases its decision on this diagnosis as well as self-determination. |
| Sources | Kalevi alt välja. LGBT+ inimeste lugusid 19. ja 20. sajandi Eestist (in Estonian). Tallinn: Eesti LGBT Ühing. ISBN 978-9916-4-1434-7.https://news.err.ee/1608422681/minister-could-apply-to-annul-marriages-if-participants-change-sex https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/91001 https://www.lgbt.ee/soo-tunnustamine |
Reports (1)
- Status is not correct "I am pretty sure that it was 2002 when Estonia allowed you to change your gender without sterilization, divorcing your partner, and etc."
Revision History (3)
Revision by katkass. Added context
| Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The current law concerning legal gender recognition dates from 7 May 1999, the Common Requirements for Medical Operations for Gender Reassignment. Transgender people are not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery since 1997, sterilisation or divorce their partner, due to the specific wording of the Family Law Act. From October 2021, neither genetic testing or hormone replacement therapy are mandatory to later change legal data. First appointment with a medical expert committee is required to receive a ministerial decree authorizing hormone replacement therapy, followed by a second appointment with the same committee authorizing the change of legal data. | The current law concerning legal gender recognition dates from 7 May 1999, the Common Requirements for Medical Operations for Gender Reassignment. Transgender people are not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery since 1997, sterilisation or divorce their partner, due to the specific wording of the Family Law Act. From October 2021, neither genetic testing or hormone replacement therapy are mandatory to later change legal data. First appointment with a medical expert committee is required to receive a ministerial decree authorizing hormone replacement therapy, followed by a second appointment with the same committee authorizing the change of legal data. Diagnosis from a psychiatrist before first committee appointment strongly recommended, committee bases its decision on this diagnosis as well as self-determination. |
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Revision by katkass. Edited source from Wikipedia
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Sources | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Estonia https://news.err.ee/1608422681/minister-could-apply-to-annul-marriages-if-participants-change-sex https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/91001 https://www.lgbt.ee/soo-tunnustamine | Kalevi alt välja. LGBT+ inimeste lugusid 19. ja 20. sajandi Eestist (in Estonian). Tallinn: Eesti LGBT Ühing. ISBN 978-9916-4-1434-7.https://news.err.ee/1608422681/minister-could-apply-to-annul-marriages-if-participants-change-sex https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/91001 https://www.lgbt.ee/soo-tunnustamine |
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Revision by katkass. Inaccurate date, correct current state of affairs
| Old Value (Original) | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Jun 2002 | May 7, 1999 |
| Description | Since June 2002, transgender people in Estonia have been allowed to change their legal gender and name. Additionally, they are not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery, sterilisation or divorce their partner. | The current law concerning legal gender recognition dates from 7 May 1999, the Common Requirements for Medical Operations for Gender Reassignment. Transgender people are not required to undergo sex reassignment surgery since 1997, sterilisation or divorce their partner, due to the specific wording of the Family Law Act. From October 2021, neither genetic testing or hormone replacement therapy are mandatory to later change legal data. First appointment with a medical expert committee is required to receive a ministerial decree authorizing hormone replacement therapy, followed by a second appointment with the same committee authorizing the change of legal data. |
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| Sources | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Estonia https://rainbow-europe.org/#8631/0/0 | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Estonia https://news.err.ee/1608422681/minister-could-apply-to-annul-marriages-if-participants-change-sex https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/91001 https://www.lgbt.ee/soo-tunnustamine |
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Reports (1)
- Date is incorrect "The false June 2002 date comes from this page: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/91001
That is a dummy date multiple bills have. The bill itself took effect on the 7th of May 1999, but it was not the first bill to regulate change of legal gender, that was the bill from 24. April 1997, also quoted in the text. Technically, the first person to change legal gender did so on 6. April 1992, but it was not regulated by law yet.
The rest of the text is correct, simply the date is not June 2002, but 24. April 1997."