Swiss court reluctantly denies official genderless status
Non-binary gender declarations remain outlawed in Switzerland.
Keystone
Swiss citizens must continue to declare themselves as male or female on official records, according to a Supreme Court ruling that also called for a broader public debate.
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Швейцарский суд настаивает на двух гендерах в паспорте
Switzerland’s highest court over-ruled a previous verdict that had allowed an intersex person to describe themselves as ‘no-gender’ on documentation.
Known in court as Julian, the person was registered as female at birth but now feels neither man or woman and is non-binary.
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Switzerland has highest proportion of people not identifying as male or female
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Out of 30 countries, Switzerland has the highest proportion of people who identify as transgender, non-binary or gender-fluid, finds a survey.
The Swiss citizen, living in Berlin, was able to change to a no-gender status in Germany but not on Swiss documents, such as birth certificate.
A court in canton Aargau backed Julian’s complaint, but this verdict has been reversed by the Supreme Court hearing an appeal by the Swiss justice ministry.
The judges said the matter should be decided by parliament. In December, the government rejected changing the binary gender system on official records but the political debate continues.
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Sex change to become easier in Switzerland
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Transgender and intersex people will be able to change their name and sex more easily in the official civil register.
The procedure for changing gender between male and female in Switzerland has been simplified since the start of 2022 but only binary options remain on official records.
“The current legal system is anything but satisfactory,” said one judge. “The legislature should not simply continue with the same agenda.”
Julian will now appeal the Supreme Court verdict to the European Court of Human Rights.
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Swiss government comes out against third-gender option
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The Swiss government has rejected the idea of introducing a third gender option or no-gender option for official records.
Hundreds of Swiss change gender using simplified process
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Several hundred people in Switzerland have changed their gender since the introduction of a simplified process on January 1.
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