New Czech Law Proposal Would Allow Children to Change Their Gender

A whole raft of changes could be coming to the Czech Republic, including allowing children to officially change their sex.

These are some of the proposed changes presented in the “Government Strategy for Equality and Removing Barriers to a Dignified Life of LGBTI+ People in the Czech Republic 2021-2026” under the leadership of the Government’s Commissioner for Human Rights Helena Válková.

The strategy is currently under comment procedure, however, criticism is already rising against these progressivist steps, mainly from the right and center parties. According to them, some proposals are unconstitutional and even inhumane.

For example, the proposal states that currently, only adults over the age of 18 can undergo official gender reassignment surgery. According to the document, the situation is very complicated for teenagers who desire to act in school based on how they identify themselves.

“This situation then causes them severe psychological problems, which often lead to suicides. Thus, official gender reassignment surgery should also be possible for adolescents after puberty,” says the progressive strategy.

However, politicians who do not agree with the changes stand up to the draft strategy.

“Unfortunately, this only shows how terribly radical the positions of the entire department of the Government Commissioner for Human Rights has adopted over the years under the influence of the left and how it will be necessary to completely reconstruct it after the elections,” said Marek Benda from the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).

“In the case of children, it is completely inhumane. In the case of crimes, it is fundamentally contrary to freedom of expression,” added Benda.

Marek Výborný, the former chairman of the Christian and Democratic Union (KDU-ČSL) and a member of the Constitutional Law Committee, voiced similar concerns.

“I do not think that we should approach similar proposals and legislative tasks under the guise of so-called hyper-correctness. I am convinced that if this government wants to push through some fundamental things at the end of its term, we will return to it after the elections and, at least, adjust the strategy if we need it at all,” said Výborný.

In contrast, the Pirates agree with the document. In particular, MP František Kopřiva claims that the strategy is a step in the right direction as, so far, the government has lacked such a model.

“Even today, belonging to a nation, ethnic group, race, religion, class or other group is specifically protected by law. The addition of gender and sexual identity and other similar facts, such as age or disability, does not mean a significant interference with the legal order,” said Kopřiva.