2024-04-172023/24:SoU22 · p.1SoUHealth & social services
Improved opportunities to change sex
Improved opportunities to change legal gender
What's at stake: The decision affects how quickly and under what conditions people with gender dysphoria can change legal gender and undergo surgical procedures, and whether younger people should be included. It directly concerns transgender people's access to care and legal recognition.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether new legislation should be introduced that makes it easier to change legal gender - including by lowering the age limit and removing the National Board of Health and Welfare's approval requirement for surgical procedures on the genitals - or whether the current requirements for a medical assessment and approval by the National Board of Health and Welfare should be retained.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee endorses the proposal for new legislation on legal gender: a new law on surgical procedures on the genitals, a new law on the determination of gender in certain cases, and consequential amendments to, among others, the Sterilisation Act, the Patient Data Act, the Discrimination Act and the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act. The committee also wants the government to draw up the necessary regulations and a national body of knowledge support in this area.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (SD, KD)
The reservation (SD, KD) rejects the committee-initiated proposal, except for the amendments to the Prison Act and the Detention Act. The reasoning is that legal gender should, in the reservers' view, match biological sex: they oppose lowering the age limit for a legal gender change to 16 so that it would include children, oppose the idea that legal gender should be freely self-determined without a diagnosis, oppose a simplified assessment of gender identity, and oppose abolishing the National Board of Health and Welfare's approval requirement for surgical procedures on the genitals. Instead, they want the National Board of Health and Welfare to review accessibility and strengthen care for people with gender dysphoria, and argue that the proposal should have gone through public consultation since it is a new proposal.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: Riksdagen a) antar utskottets förslag i bilaga 1 till 1.
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by SD, KD.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Yes | Yes 22/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | Yes | Yes 96/1/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/1 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 24/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| KD | No | No 0/19/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 58/1/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/72/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| SPatrik Björck (S, Västra Götalands läns östra) | No — party line: Yes |
| MEllen Juntti (M, Västra Götalands läns västra) | No — party line: Yes |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag a) adopts the committee's proposal in Annex 1 to 1. Act on certain surgical procedures in sex organs, 2. Act on determination of sex in certain cases, 3. Act on repeal of the Act (1972:119) on determination of sex in certain cases, 4. Act on amendment to the Sterilization Act (1975:580), 5. Act on amendment to the Patient Data Act (2008:355), 6. Act on amendment to the Discrimination Act (2008:567), 7. Act on amendment to the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400), 8. Act on amendment to the Prisons Act (2010:610), 9. Act on amendment to the Detention Act (2010:611), 10. Act on amendment to the Act (2022:913) on integrated health and care documentation, b) aligns itself with what the committee states about 1. the need for regulations and notifies this to the Government, 2. national knowledge support and notifies this to the Government.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen a) antar utskottets förslag i bilaga 1 till 1. lag om vissa kirurgiska ingrepp i könsorganen, 2. lag om fastställande av kön i vissa fall, 3. lag om upphävande av lagen (1972:119) om fastställande av könstillhörighet i vissa fall, 4. lag om ändring i steriliseringslagen (1975:580), 5. lag om ändring i patientdatalagen (2008:355), 6. lag om ändring i diskrimineringslagen (2008:567), 7. lag om ändring i offentlighets- och sekretesslagen (2009:400), 8. lag om ändring i fängelselagen (2010:610), 9. lag om ändring i häkteslagen (2010:611), 10. lag om ändring i lagen (2022:913) om sammanhållen vård- och omsorgsdokumentation, b) ställer sig bakom det som utskottet anför om 1. behovet av föreskrifter och tillkännager detta för regeringen, 2. nationellt kunskapsstöd och tillkännager detta för regeringen.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said yes to the Social Committee's proposals for a new Act on certain surgical procedures in sex organs and a new Act on determination of sex in certain cases, as well as a proposal for an Act on repeal of the Act on determination of sex in certain cases. The proposals mean that the process for changing the sex shown in the population register is separated from the process for surgical procedures in sex organs. No permission from the National Board of Health and Welfare shall be required to undergo such surgical procedures in sex organs aimed at making the person's body correspond to their gender identity. It shall become easier to change sex in the population register. A person who has reached the age of 16 shall be able to have the sex shown in the population register changed after a simplified review of their gender identity. The proposal which forms the basis for the decision is what is called a committee initiative. It means that it is a committee which has taken the initiative for it and that it does not come from a Government proposition or motions from members, which otherwise is the usual. The laws begin to apply on 1 July 2025. The Riksdag directs four formal requests (tillkännagivanden) to the Government on the need for regulations, national knowledge support, prevention of criminal conduct and monitoring of the application. Vote on referral The decision was preceded by a vote on whether the matter should be referred back to the Social Committee, that is sent back to the committee for further consideration. At the vote on referral, 94 members voted yes, 234 members voted no and 0 members abstained. 21 members were absent. How the parties voted in the vote on referral The Social Democrats Yes – 1 votes, No – 96 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 9 Sverigedemokraterna Yes – 72 votes, No – 0 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 0 The Moderates Yes – 1 votes, No – 58 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 9 The Left Party Yes – 0 votes, No – 22 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 2 The Center Party Yes – 0 votes, No – 24 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 0 The Christian Democrats Yes – 19 votes, No – 0 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 0 The Green Party Yes – 0 votes, No – 17 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 1 The Liberals Yes – 0 votes, No – 16 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 0 Members without party designation Yes – 1 votes, No – 1 votes, Abstain – 0 votes, Absent – 0 Voting result - referral to the Social Committee SoU22 (pdf, 289 kB)
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to strengthen care for people with gender dysphoria and maintain medical assessment for legal gender change. (SD, KD) — Reservation 1
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The party programme states that everyone should have the same rights regardless of gender identity and that no special treatment of trans persons can be accepted, and it explicitly rejects the view that there must always be two given sexes.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that everyone should have the same rights regardless of gender identity and that no special treatment of trans persons can be accepted, and it explicitly rejects the view that there must always be two given sexes. The counter-proposal instead builds on the view that legal sex should follow the biological and wants to keep diagnostic requirements and permission approval. It thus stands in direct conflict with the plan's commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla ska ha samma rättigheter oavsett könsidentitet och att ingen särbehandling av transpersoner kan accepteras, och det avvisar uttryckligen uppfattningen att det alltid måste finnas två givna kön. Motförslaget bygger tvärtom på att juridiskt kön ska följa det biologiska och vill behålla diagnoskrav och tillståndsprövning. Det står därför i direkt strid med planens åtagande.
- no special treatment of trans personsdecisive»Ingen diskriminering eller särbehandling av homosexuella, bisexuella, transpersoner och queer-personer« (party programme ↗)“No discrimination or special treatment of homosexual, bisexual, trans persons and queer persons”
- criticism of the binary sex norm»uppfattningen att det finns och alltid måste finnas två kön och att dessa« (party programme ↗)“the view that there are and must always be two sexes and that these”
- equal rights regardless of gender identity»samma rättigheter och samma chans till delaktighet, oavsett sexuell« (party programme ↗)“same rights and same opportunity to participation, regardless of sexual”
- vulnerability of trans persons»Särskilt för transpersoner, både de som avviker från« (party programme ↗)“Especially for trans persons, both those who deviate from”
The party programme's goal is a society without domination and subordination, without patriarchy, racism or homophobia and transphobia, and it explicitly counts gender identity and gender expression among the power structures to be combated; the individual should have command over their own life.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme's goal is a society without domination and subordination, without patriarchy, racism or homophobia and transphobia, and it explicitly counts gender identity and gender expression among the power structures to be combated; the individual should have command over their own life. The counter-proposal instead wants to bind legal sex to biological sex and retain diagnosis and permit requirements. This conflicts with the plan's freedom and equality commitments, which is why the plan rejects the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammets mål är ett samhälle utan över- och underordning, utan patriarkat, rasism eller homo- och transfobi, och det räknar uttryckligen könsidentitet och könsuttryck bland de maktstrukturer som ska bekämpas; människan ska råda över sitt eget liv. Motförslaget vill i stället binda juridiskt kön till biologiskt kön och behålla diagnos- och tillståndsprövning. Det står i strid med planens frihets- och jämlikhetsåtagande, varför planen avvisar kravet.
- society free from transphobiadecisive»klasskillnader, patriarkat, rasism eller homo- och transfobi, ett samhälle utan fördomar och« (party programme ↗)“class differences, patriarchy, racism or homophobia and transphobia, a society without prejudices and”
- have command over one's own life»Människan ska vara fri att utvecklas som individ, råda över sitt eget liv, forma sin tillvaro« (party programme ↗)“The individual should be free to develop as an individual, have command over their own life, shape their own existence”
- gender identity as power structure»Klass, kön, etnicitet samt könsidentitet och sexuell läggning är några av de« (party programme ↗)“Class, sex, ethnicity as well as gender identity and sexual orientation are some of the”
- combat all power structures»bestämd av klass, kön eller etnicitet, av funktionsförmåga eller ålder, av sexuell läggning,« (party programme ↗)“determined by class, sex or ethnicity, by functional ability or age, by sexual orientation,”
The election manifesto explicitly demands a new gender recognition act that strengthens transgender people's rights and a third legal gender.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly demands a new gender recognition act that strengthens transgender people's rights and a third legal gender. The counter-proposal instead wants to reject the legislative proposals, retain the requirement for diagnosis and authorization and bind legal gender to biological sex. This stands in direct conflict with the plan's commitment that every person has the right to define themselves and grow into the individual they want to be.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen en ny könstillhörighetslag som stärker transpersoners rättigheter och ett tredje juridiskt kön. Motförslaget vill i stället avslå lagförslagen, behålla kravet på diagnos och tillståndsprövning och binda juridiskt kön till biologiskt kön. Det står i direkt strid med planens åtagande att varje människa har rätt att definiera sig själv och växa till den individ hen vill vara.
- new gender recognition actdecisive»stärka transpersoners rättigheter genom en ny könstillhörighetslag, och införa ett tredje juridiskt kön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen transgender people's rights through a new gender recognition act, and introduce a third legal gender.”
- away from the binary model»Ett tredje juridiskt kön skulle kunna vara ett sätt för transpersoner att slippa behöva pressas in i en tvåkönsmodell.« (party programme ↗)“A third legal gender could be a way for transgender people to avoid being forced into a binary gender model.”
- right to define oneself»Först när alla människor erkänns för vilka de är, får rätt att definiera sig själva och har tillgång till lika rättigheter kan vi uppnå välfärd för alla.« (party programme ↗)“Only when all people are recognized for who they are, have the right to define themselves and have access to equal rights can we achieve welfare for all.”
- right to own identity»Varje människa har rätt att vara och växa till den individ som hen vill vara.« (party programme ↗)“Every person has the right to be and grow into the individual they want to be.”
The plan's fundamental commitment is that each person should be able to shape their own life and identity, and that neither the state nor society should define the individual.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's fundamental commitment is that each person should be able to shape their own life and identity, and that neither the state nor society should define the individual. The counter-proposal instead wants biological sex to determine legal gender and maintain diagnostic and permission review, which places that power of definition with the state. The plan also explicitly warns against forces that want to restrict the rights of minorities and LGBTQI people.
Original (Swedish)
Planens grundåtagande är att varje människa själv ska få forma sitt liv och sin identitet, och att varken staten eller samhället ska definiera den enskilde. Motförslaget vill i stället att juridiskt kön ska bestämmas av det biologiska och behålla diagnos- och tillståndsprövning, vilket lägger just den definitionsmakten hos staten. Planen varnar dessutom uttryckligen för krafter som vill inskränka minoriteters och HBTQI-personers rättigheter.
- the right to shape one's own lifedecisive»Centerpartiet kommer alltid försvara din rätt att forma ditt eget liv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Centre Party will always defend your right to shape your own life.”
- right to one's own identity»Varje individ har rätt att skapa sin egen identitet.« (party programme ↗)“Every individual has the right to create their own identity.”
- the freedom to be who you are»Feminism handlar om att försvara rätten och friheten att vara den man är.« (party programme ↗)“Feminism is about defending the right and freedom to be who you are.”
- protect LGBTQI people's rights»inskränka kvinnors, minoriteters och HBTQI-personers rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“restrict the rights of women, minorities and LGBTQI people”
The election manifesto establishes that Sweden must be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI+ person and drives its own reforms in the area.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that Sweden must be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI+ person and drives its own reforms in the area. The party programme requires that everyone has the same right to respect for their private and family life and that no laws may disadvantage anyone on the basis of gender identity. A counter-proposal that wants to retain diagnosis requirements, permission procedures and a higher age limit contradicts these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att Sverige ska vara världens bästa land att leva i som hbtqi-person och driver egna reformer på området. Partiprogrammet kräver att alla har samma rätt till respekt för sitt privat- och familjeliv och att inga lagar får missgynna någon med avseende på könsidentitet. Ett motförslag som vill behålla diagnoskrav, tillståndsprövning och en högre åldersgräns strider mot dessa åtaganden.
- LGBTQI+ rights as a goaldecisive»Sverige ska vara världens bästa land att leva i som hbtqi-person.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden must be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI+ person.”
- equal right to privacy»Alla ska ha samma rätt till respekt för sitt privat- och familjeliv.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone must have the same right to respect for their private and family life.”
- LGBTQI+ reforms as a freedom issue»Hbtqi-reformer handlar om frihet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“LGBTQI+ reforms are about freedom.”
- strengthened LGBTQI+ competence in healthcare»Hbtqi-kompetensen i vård, skola och omsorg ska stärkas och ett lagskydd mot omvändelseterapi ska införas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“LGBTQI+ competence in healthcare, schools and care must be strengthened and legal protection against conversion therapy must be introduced.”
The party programme requires that healthcare is safe for patients and based on knowledge and proven experience, which argues for retained diagnosis and approval verification rather than freely chosen legal gender identity and abolished review of surgical procedures.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that healthcare is safe for patients and based on knowledge and proven experience, which argues for retained diagnosis and approval verification rather than freely chosen legal gender identity and abolished review of surgical procedures. The programme also gives the legislator the task of providing guidance before difficult decisions and puts the best interests of the child first, which supports resistance to a lowered age limit to 16 years. The requirement for enhanced care for gender dysphoria corresponds to the programme's commitment to swift and accessible expertise for young people with mental health issues.
Original (Swedish)
Principprogrammet kräver att vården är säker för patienterna och baserad på kunskap och beprövad erfarenhet, vilket talar för bibehållen diagnos- och tillståndsprövning snarare än fritt valbar juridisk könstillhörighet och avskaffad prövning av kirurgiska ingrepp. Programmet ger också lagstiftaren uppgiften att ge rådrum inför svåra beslut och sätter barnets bästa främst, vilket bär motståndet mot en sänkt åldersgräns till 16 år. Kravet på förstärkt vård vid könsdysfori svarar mot programmets åtagande om snabb och tillgänglig kompetens för unga med psykisk ohälsa.
- evidence-based and safe caredecisive»Den solidariskt finansierade hälso- och sjukvården ska vara ändamålsenlig och kostnadseffektiv, säker för patienterna och baserad på kunskap och beprövad erfarenhet, det vill säga evidensbaserad.« (party programme ↗)“The solidarily financed healthcare shall be purposeful and cost-effective, safe for patients and based on knowledge and proven experience, that is evidence-based.”
- the legislator shall provide guidance»Staten och lagstiftningen har till uppgift att informera, tydliggöra dilemmat, ange önskad inriktning och ge rådrum inför beslut.« (party programme ↗)“The state and the legislation have the task of informing, clarifying the dilemma, indicating the desired direction and providing guidance before decisions.”
- best interests of the child first»FN:s barnkonvention stadgar att barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet.« (party programme ↗)“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates that the best interests of the child shall come first.”
- enhanced care for young people»Särskild vikt ska läggas vid snabb och tillgänglig kompetens för barn och ungdom med psykisk ohälsa.« (party programme ↗)“Special emphasis shall be placed on swift and accessible expertise for children and young people with mental health issues.”
The plan stands up for LGBTQ people's rights and for everyone to be able to live a free life and be met safely by the public, and wants all family legislation to be gender-neutral.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan stands up for LGBTQ people's rights and for everyone to be able to live a free life and be met safely by the public, and wants all family legislation to be gender-neutral. The counter-proposal instead wants to stop legislation that makes it easier to establish legal gender and state that legal gender shall follow biological sex. This goes against the plan's line on openness to people's different paths in life.
Original (Swedish)
Planen står upp för hbtq-personers rättigheter och för att var och en ska kunna leva ett fritt liv och mötas tryggt av det offentliga, och vill att all familjelagstiftning ska vara könsneutral. Motförslaget vill i stället stoppa en lagstiftning som gör det lättare att fastställa juridiskt kön och slå fast att juridiskt kön ska följa det biologiska. Det går emot planens linje om öppenhet för människors olika vägar i livet.
- LGBTQ people's rightsdecisive»Vi ska stå upp för hbtq-personers rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall stand up for LGBTQ people's rights”
- free life and safe treatment»I Sverige ska du kunna leva ett fritt liv, och öppet kunna visa din kärlek, bilda familj och få ett tryggt bemötande av det offentliga, oavsett vilken sexuell läggning du har.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In Sweden you shall be able to live a free life, and openly show your love, form a family and receive safe treatment from the public, regardless of your sexual orientation.”
- gender-neutral legislation»Se till att all familjelagstiftning är könsneutral« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that all family legislation is gender-neutral”
- openness to different life paths»Toleransen handlar om öppenhet för människors olika vägar i livet.« (party programme ↗)“Tolerance is about openness to people's different paths in life.”
The plan points out hormone treatment and surgical procedures to change children's sex as particularly grave, wants to end the political experiments on children and young people and demands that society's handling of children with gender dysphoria be investigated.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan points out hormone treatment and surgical procedures to change children's sex as particularly grave, wants to end the political experiments on children and young people and demands that society's handling of children with gender dysphoria be investigated. The counter-proposal's demands to reject lowered age limits, free legal sex change and abolished licensing, and instead strengthen care, follow directly from this. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar ut hormonbehandling och kirurgiska ingrepp för att ändra barns kön som särskilt allvarligt, vill avsluta de politiska experimenten på barn och unga och kräver att samhällets hantering av barn med könsdysfori utreds. Motförslagets krav på att avvisa sänkt åldersgräns, fri juridisk könstillhörighet och slopad tillståndsprövning, och i stället stärka vården, följer direkt av detta. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- against sex procedures on childrendecisive»Särskilt allvarlig är användning av hormonbehandling för att ändra barns naturliga pubertet och kirurgiska ingrepp för att ”byta kön”.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Particularly grave is the use of hormone treatment to alter children's natural puberty and surgical procedures to "change sex".”
- investigate care for gender dysphoria»Samhällets hantering av barn med könsdysfori och dess långsiktiga konsekvenser ska utredas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Society's handling of children with gender dysphoria and its long-term consequences shall be investigated.”
- stop experiments on children»Avsluta de politiska experimenten på Sveriges barn och unga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“End the political experiments on Sweden's children and young people”
- science over gender theory»Vi tror på vetenskap och inser att förvirrande genusteorier får förödande konsekvenser när de omsätts i praktiken.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We believe in science and realise that confusing gender theories have devastating consequences when implemented in practice.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:SoU22)
- Committee report full text (HB01SoU22)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Source: The Swedish Parliament