Sex change bill passes through parliamentary committees

Bill includes amendment for sex change at 15 years old

MPs of the Greek parliamentary committees of Justice, Public Administration and Public Order passed the bill on gender change, including the amendment that allows teenagers as young as 15 to undergo a sex change. The parties of left-wing SYRIZA and right-wing ANEL, which make up the coalition government, voted in favour of the bill on principle, as did opposition parries To Potami and Democratic Alignment, while major opposition party New Democracy members said their party would present its position on the matter during the plenary session.

Members of the communist party (KKE) and extreme right Golden Dawn voted against the bill. Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis said that sex reassignment for 15 year-old teenagers would proceed upon the condition of the parents’ consent and the medical opinion of a special council operating at the children’s hospital “Aglaia Kyriakou”.

ANEL representative Thanasis Papachristopoulos said his party would support the bill on principle but would vote against the article regarding the lower age limit of 15 years.