Current Version
| Region | Belgium |
| Issue | Right to change legal gender |
| Status | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Start Date | Jan 12, 1993 |
| End Date | Sep 1, 2007 |
| Description | The Minister of Justice issued a circular that allowed public prosecutors to authorize the change of civil status for transgender individuals through a judicial procedure. This administrative instruction initiated a period where gender recognition was possible but relied heavily on judicial discretion and medical evidence. Courts consistently required proof of irreversible gender reassignment surgery and sterilization before granting the change. |
| Sources | https://igvm-iefh.belgium.be/sites/default/files/media/documents/34%20-%20Transgender_ENG.pdf https://www.brusselstimes.com/30326/730-people-have-officially-changed-sex-in-belgium-since-1993 https://murrayblackburnmackenzie.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/gender-recognition-reform-in-belgium.-lessons-for-scotland-2-feburary-2020-1.pdf |
Revision History (1)
| Original entry | |
|---|---|
| Status | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Start Date | Jan 12, 1993 |
| End Date | Sep 1, 2007 |
| Description | The Minister of Justice issued a circular that allowed public prosecutors to authorize the change of civil status for transgender individuals through a judicial procedure. This administrative instruction initiated a period where gender recognition was possible but relied heavily on judicial discretion and medical evidence. Courts consistently required proof of irreversible gender reassignment surgery and sterilization before granting the change. |
| Sources | https://igvm-iefh.belgium.be/sites/default/files/media/documents/34%20-%20Transgender_ENG.pdf https://www.brusselstimes.com/30326/730-people-have-officially-changed-sex-in-belgium-since-1993 https://murrayblackburnmackenzie.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/gender-recognition-reform-in-belgium.-lessons-for-scotland-2-feburary-2020-1.pdf |