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Japan urged to end forced sterilization on transgender persons

Human Rights Watch and other rights-based groups have urged Japan to end forced sterilisation on transgender community in the country. Despite taking some positive steps to reduce discrimination against the LGBTI community, Japan’s legal gender recognition procedure- which allows transgender people to be recognized as their gender identity- requires applicant seeking legal gender change to be single, above 20 years of age, be without children below the age of 20, undergo psychiatric evaluation to be diagnosed with ‘Gender Identity Disorder’ and be sterilized. Law 111 of 2003 requires applicants seeking gender-change to “permanently lack functioning gonads” which amounts to forced sterilisation- a practice that has been condemned health and rights activists for the longest time.

Source: http://bit.ly/2i9d5qb