Dutch transgenders flood to change gender in passport after law change

The number of Dutch transgenders who changed their gender on their passport increased significantly following the implementation of the transgender law. Between 2007 and 2014 about 80 people per year changed their gender on their passport, according to figures from social and cultural planning office SCP. In 2015 there were 770 gender changes, NU.nl reports.

Before 2014 people who wanted to legally change their gender had to meet a number of medical requirements and do so in court. With the implementation of the gender law, these requirements were scrapped. The SCP researchers believe that this is may explain the significant increase. The increase is in line with the increase in registrations at gender clinics, as well as the increase in people who say they are transgender in studies. 

The researchers also found that transgender people are more likely to have a low income.This may have to do with prejudices and discrimination and past problems on the labor market. Transgenders are also less likely to be married than other Dutch. 

LGBT interest group COC Nederland called the SCP figures worrying. "The disadvantage on the labor market shows that prejudice and discrimination in the labor market often block a full participation of transgender people in society. That must change soon." the group said. COC Nederland and the transgender network in the Netherlands TNN call on the government to explicitly ban transgender discrimination in the General Equal Treatment Act. Early this year left-wing parties PvdA, D66 and GroenLinks submitted a proposal for that same change.

COC and TNN also call for a legal right on 'transition leave', to make the gender transition easier for both the transgender person and his or her employer.