2024-06-182023/24:SoU16 · p.6SoUHealth & social services
Gender identity
Legal gender: review of gender-affirming care and the age limit
What's at stake: The decision concerns how gender-affirming care for children and young people should be regulated and reviewed going forward, and whether those who received hormone treatment or surgical procedures at a young age should be able to obtain redress or compensation if the care later turns out to have been mistaken.
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 the Riksdag should demand an independent review of gender-affirming care, a higher age limit for hormone treatment and surgical procedures for gender dysphoria, and the possibility of compensation for young people who received such care, or whether the committee - which points to recently adopted legislation on changing legal gender and new guidance from the National Board of Health and Welfare - should reject the motions.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions, pointing out that the Riksdag has recently decided on new legislation on the possibility of changing legal gender and that the National Board of Health and Welfare has published national guidance on the care of children and young people with gender dysphoria, and finds no grounds for the Riksdag to take further initiative in light of this.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 10 (SD)
The reserving party (SD) wants the government to review communication on gender identity, raise the age limit for surgical procedures and hormone treatment for gender dysphoria to at least 25, strengthen care and follow-up and prioritise talk therapy and psychological assessment, and wants an independent review of gender-affirming care along with an inquiry into compensation for young people who underwent irreversible procedures without sufficient scientific backing.
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: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 10 by SD.
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 20/0/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | Yes | Yes 93/0/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 21/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | Yes | Yes 13/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/63/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:2424 by Mikael Oscarsson (KD) demand 7 and 2023/24:2653 by Carina Ståhl Herrstedt et al. (SD) demands 1, 2 and 5-9.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:2424 av Mikael Oscarsson (KD) yrkande 7 och 2023/24:2653 av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 1, 2 och 5-9.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 140 proposals in motions on priorities in healthcare from the general motion period of 2023. The motions address, for example, priorities, assisted reproduction, donation and virginity testing. Parliament refers to, among other things, that work is already underway in the areas the motions address.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to develop continuous follow-up of care for asthma and COPD patients and increased cooperation on rare diseases. (SD) — Reservation 10
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 requires a gender recognition law based on self-determination and sees it as crucial to strengthen the rights of LGBTQIA+ people when authoritarian right-wing forces attack them.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires a gender recognition law based on self-determination and sees it as crucial to strengthen the rights of LGBTQIA+ people when authoritarian right-wing forces attack them. The counter-proposal's requirement for a raised age limit to 25 years, reconsidered communication about gender and investigation with damages inquiry goes in the opposite direction. The plan also expresses strong confidence in young people's ability to make independent decisions about their lives.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver en könstillhörighetslag som baseras på självbestämmande och ser det som avgörande att stärka hbtqia+-personers rättigheter när auktoritära högerkrafter angriper dem. Motförslagets krav på höjd åldersgräns till 25 år, omprövad kommunikation om genus och granskning med skadeståndsutredning går i motsatt riktning. Planen uttrycker dessutom starkt förtroende för unga människors förmåga att fatta självständiga beslut om sina liv.
- self-determination regarding legal genderdecisive»också se en könstillhörighetslag som baseras på självbestämmande« (party programme ↗)“also to see a gender recognition law based on self-determination”
- strengthened LGBTQIA+ rights»Vi ser det som avgörande att stärka hbtqia+-personers rättigheter i en« (party programme ↗)“We see it as crucial to strengthen the rights of LGBTQIA+ people in a”
- confidence in young people's decisions»Vi har ett starkt förtroende för unga människors förmåga att fatta« (party programme ↗)“We have strong confidence in young people's ability to make”
- high quality throughout healthcare»investera brett i vården så att den håller hög kvalitet i alla delar.« (party programme ↗)“invest broadly in healthcare so that it maintains high quality in all parts.”
The party programme wants a society without homophobia and transphobia and counts gender identity among the power structures that limit people's freedom.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants a society without homophobia and transphobia and counts gender identity among the power structures that limit people's freedom. To raise the age limit for gender-affirming care to at least 25 years and review communication about gender identity restricts that freedom and argues against the plan's fundamental view. The plan's demand for increased supervision and quality in care provides some support for the scrutiny part, but the main line carries more weight.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill ett samhälle utan homo- och transfobi och räknar könsidentitet bland de maktstrukturer som begränsar människors frihet. Att höja åldersgränsen för könsbekräftande vård till minst 25 år och se över kommunikationen om könstillhörighet inskränker den friheten och talar emot planens grundsyn. Planens krav på uppväxlad tillsyn och kvalitet i vården ger visst stöd för granskningsdelen, men huvudlinjen väger tyngre.
- society free from transphobiadecisive»patriarkat, rasism eller homo- och transfobi« (party programme ↗)“patriarchy, racism or homophobia and transphobia”
- gender identity limits freedom»Klass, kön, etnicitet samt könsidentitet och sexuell läggning är några av de« (party programme ↗)“Class, gender, ethnicity as well as gender identity and sexual orientation are some of the”
- timely care»Ingen ska behöva känna oro över att få vård i tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“No one should have to worry about getting care in time.”
- increased supervision of healthcare»Tillsynen av sjukvården ska växlas upp för att garantera kvaliteten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Supervision of healthcare shall be increased to guarantee quality.”
The election manifesto commits to strengthening transgender people's rights through a new gender identity law and to introduce a third legal gender, and the party programme stipulates that every person has the right to grow into the individual they want to be and to define themselves.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits to strengthening transgender people's rights through a new gender identity law and to introduce a third legal gender, and the party programme stipulates that every person has the right to grow into the individual they want to be and to define themselves. The counter-proposal's demand for a raised age limit to at least 25 years, rethought communication about gender and scrutiny with a compensation trail go in the opposite direction. The plan therefore speaks against what the counter-proposal requires.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att stärka transpersoners rättigheter genom en ny könstillhörighetslag och att införa ett tredje juridiskt kön, och partiprogrammet slår fast att varje människa har rätt att växa till den individ hen vill vara och att få definiera sig själv. Motförslagets krav på höjd åldersgräns till minst 25 år, omprövad kommunikation om genus och en granskning med skadeståndsspår går i motsatt riktning. Planen talar därför emot det motförslaget kräver.
- strengthened transgender rightsdecisive»stärka transpersoners rättigheter genom en ny könstillhörighetslag, och införa ett tredje juridiskt kön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen transgender people's rights through a new gender identity law, and introduce a third legal gender.”
- right to be oneself»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.”
- 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 recognised for who they are, have the right to define themselves and have access to equal rights can we achieve welfare for all.”
- away from the two-gender 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 having to be forced into a two-gender model.”
The party programme establishes that every individual has the right to create their own identity and that no structures may discriminate based on gender identity or gender expression, and that the freedom to be who you are shall be defended.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that every individual has the right to create their own identity and that no structures may discriminate based on gender identity or gender expression, and that the freedom to be who you are shall be defended. A raised age limit to at least 25 and prioritised talk therapy moves power over one's own identity from the individual to the public sector and therefore conflicts with the plan. The demand for scientific basis in healthcare argues for scrutiny, but does not outweigh the whole.
Original (Swedish)
Idéprogrammet slår fast att varje individ har rätt att skapa sin egen identitet och att inga strukturer får diskriminera på grund av könsidentitet eller könsuttryck, och att friheten att vara den man är ska försvaras. En höjd åldersgräns till minst 25 år och prioriterad samtalsterapi flyttar makten över den egna identiteten från individen till det offentliga och står därför i strid med planen. Kravet på vetenskaplig grund i vården talar för granskning, men uppväger inte helheten.
- right to own identitydecisive»Varje individ har rätt att skapa sin egen identitet.« (party programme ↗)“Every individual has the right to create their own identity.”
- prohibition on discrimination»Det har ingen betydelse på vilken grund detta sker; kön, ålder, sexuell läggning, könsidentitet, könsuttryck« (party programme ↗)“It matters not on what ground this occurs; sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression”
- freedom to be yourself»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.”
- healthcare on scientific basis»God vård och omsorg i hela landet, baserad på vetenskap och beprövad erfarenhet« (party programme ↗)“Good healthcare and care throughout the country, based on science and proven experience”
The plan makes LGBTQI issues freedom issues: Sweden shall be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI person, no laws may disadvantage anyone on the basis of gender identity, and LGBTQI competence in care shall be strengthened.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes LGBTQI issues freedom issues: Sweden shall be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI person, no laws may disadvantage anyone on the basis of gender identity, and LGBTQI competence in care shall be strengthened. Raising the age limit for gender-confirming treatment to at least 25 and directing care toward talk therapy goes in the opposite direction. The plan's requirement for a scientific basis speaks for follow-up of care but not for the restrictions the counter-proposal requires.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör hbtqi-frågor till frihetsfrågor: Sverige ska vara världens bästa land att leva i som hbtqi-person, inga lagar får missgynna någon med avseende på könsidentitet, och hbtqi-kompetensen i vården ska stärkas. Att höja åldersgränsen för könsbekräftande behandling till minst 25 år och styra vården mot samtalsterapi går i motsatt riktning. Planens krav på vetenskaplig grund talar för uppföljning av vården men inte för de begränsningar motförslaget kräver.
- LGBTQI freedom as goaldecisive»Sverige ska vara världens bästa land att leva i som hbtqi-person.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall be the world's best country to live in as an LGBTQI person.”
- no disadvantaging laws»med avseende på sexuell läggning, könsidentitet eller könsuttryck.« (party programme ↗)“on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.”
- strengthened LGBTQI competence in care»Hbtqi-kompetensen i vård, skola och omsorg ska stärkas och ett lagskydd mot omvändelseterapi ska införas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“LGBTQI competence in healthcare, school and care shall be strengthened and legal protection against conversion therapy shall be introduced.”
- care based on scientific evidence»Vård, behandling och rehabilitering av fysiska och psykiska sjukdomar ska ges på vetenskaplig« (party programme ↗)“Care, treatment and rehabilitation for physical and mental illness shall be given on a scientific”
The party programme requires that healthcare is safe for patients and based on knowledge and proven experience, and that the child's best interest comes first.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that healthcare is safe for patients and based on knowledge and proven experience, and that the child's best interest comes first. The counter-proposal's requirements for raised age limits for irreversible procedures, independent review and prioritized talking therapy and psychological evaluation follow precisely from this evidence requirement and from the child perspective. The programme also places special emphasis on quick and accessible expertise for young people with mental health problems. The plan therefore supports the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Principprogrammet kräver att vården är säker för patienterna och baserad på kunskap och beprövad erfarenhet, och att barnets bästa kommer i främsta rummet. Motförslagets krav på höjd åldersgräns för irreversibla ingrepp, oberoende granskning och prioriterad samtalsterapi och psykologisk utredning följer av just detta evidenskrav och av barnperspektivet. Programmet lägger också särskild vikt vid snabb och tillgänglig kompetens för unga med psykisk ohälsa. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- evidence-based caredecisive»säker för patienterna och baserad på kunskap och beprövad erfarenhet« (party programme ↗)“safe for patients and based on knowledge and proven experience”
- the child's best interest first»barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet« (party programme ↗)“the child's best interest shall come first”
- expertise for young people mentally»Särskild vikt ska läggas vid snabb och tillgänglig kompetens för barn och ungdom med psykisk ohälsa.« (party programme ↗)“Special emphasis shall be placed on quick and accessible expertise for children and young people with mental health problems.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that wise reforms lean on research and proven experience and that the party has constant readiness to evaluate and reconsider what has been implemented.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that wise reforms lean on research and proven experience and that the party has constant readiness to evaluate and reconsider what has been implemented. Requirements for independent review, strengthened follow-up and caution with irreversible interventions without sufficient scientific support follow from that principle. The plan at the same time stands firm on LGBTQ people's rights and wants to ban conversion therapy, which limits how talk therapy can be used.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att kloka reformer lutar sig mot forskning och beprövad erfarenhet och att partiet har ständig beredskap att utvärdera och ompröva det som genomförts. Krav på oberoende granskning, stärkt uppföljning och försiktighet med irreversibla ingrepp utan tillräckligt vetenskapligt stöd följer av den principen. Planen står samtidigt fast vid hbtq-personers rättigheter och vill förbjuda konverteringsterapi, vilket begränsar hur samtalsterapi får användas.
- reconsider implemented reformsdecisive»beredskap för att utvärdera, ompröva, förändra och förbättra« (party programme ↗)“readiness to evaluate, reconsider, change and improve”
- no to conversion therapy»Förbjuda konverteringsterapi, som syftar till att ändra en individs sexuella läggning eller könsidentitet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ban conversion therapy, which aims to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity”
flags: citat_blockerat
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan identifies hormone treatment that alters children's natural puberty and surgical procedures as particularly serious because the long-term effects are unknown, and requires that society's treatment of children with gender dysphoria be investigated.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan identifies hormone treatment that alters children's natural puberty and surgical procedures as particularly serious because the long-term effects are unknown, and requires that society's treatment of children with gender dysphoria be investigated. The counter-proposal's demands for a raised age limit, prioritized talk therapy, independent review, and investigation into damages thus directly follow from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar ut hormonbehandling som ändrar barns naturliga pubertet och kirurgiska ingrepp som särskilt allvarliga eftersom de långsiktiga effekterna inte är kända, och kräver att samhällets hantering av barn med könsdysfori utreds. Motförslagets krav på höjd åldersgräns, prioriterad samtalsterapi, oberoende granskning och utredning om skadestånd följer direkt av dessa åtaganden.
- criticism of hormone treatment of childrendecisive»Särskilt allvarlig är användning av hormonbehandling för att ändra barns naturliga pubertet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Particularly serious is the use of hormone treatment to alter children's natural puberty”
- investigation of gender dysphoria care»Samhällets hantering av barn med könsdysfori och dess långsiktiga konsekvenser ska utredas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Society's treatment of children with gender dysphoria and its long-term consequences shall be investigated.”
- no 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”
- scientific basis required»Vi tror på vetenskap och inser att förvirrande genusteorier får förödande konsekvenser när de omsätts i praktiken.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We believe in science and realize that confusing gender theories have devastating consequences when put into practice.”
Share and embed
Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:SoU16)
- Committee report full text (HB01SoU16)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1122 — Organdonationer av Helena Storckenfeldt (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1179 — Vård och stöd under graviditet och förlossning av Jim Svensk Larm (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1192 — Assisterad dödshjälp av Markus Wiechel (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1273 — Utredning om dödshjälp - rätten att själv bestämma när och hur man vill avsluta sitt liv av Kristina Axén Olin (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1424 — Rutinmässig kontroll av diabetes typ 2 av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1440 — Obligatoriskt ställningstagande till organdonation av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1449 — Ökad möjlighet till blodgivning av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1468 — Organstöld av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1482 — Stärkt vård för kvinnor i klimakteriet av Louise Thunström och Jessica Rodén (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1514 — Säkrad förlossningsvård av Jessica Rodén och Louise Thunström (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1614 — Tillsättning av en utredning om gråzoner i livets slutskede inklusive dödshjälp av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1627 — Lika villkor för alla blodgivare av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1659 — Sällsynta diagnoser av Alexandra Völker (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1881 — En ny könstillhörighetslag, ett tredje juridiskt kön och könsmarkören X i pass av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1898 — Sjukdomen noma av Mats Wiking (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1990 — Bättre vård efter förlossning av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2063 — En kvalitativ cancervård i framkant av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2064 — En jämlik diabetesvård i hela landet av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2066 — Astma- och allergivården i Sverige av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2074 — Sällsynta sjukdomar och särläkemedel av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament