In the third reading, deputies of the Russian State Duma have adopted a bill banning surgeries and other medical interventions aimed at changing a person’s sex. The authors of the law are almost 400 deputies from all factions headed by the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. Also, the Government should repeal the current ICD-11 provisions presenting transsexualism, homosexuality and pedophilia as variants of the norm.
The main provisions of the law include:
- Prohibition of surgical interventions and hormone therapy: a prohibition is established on any medical intervention – both surgical operations and the use of drugs – aimed at the formation of primary or secondary sexual characteristics of the other sex in a person.
- Prohibition of changing one’s gender in documents: it is prohibited to change gender in documents issued by the state. Once the law comes into effect, this will include a cancellation of all sex change certificates for which a person has had surgery but has not yet changed his or her passport.
- Prohibition of marriage: if there is a change in the civil status record about the change of sex of one of the spouses, the marriage will be annulled.
- Ban on adopting children: persons who have previously changed gender will be prohibited from adopting children or becoming guardians and custodians.
Only medical interventions related to the treatment of congenital anomalies, genetic and endocrine diseases associated with disorders reflected in the malformation of genitals in children will be allowed. The decision on such interventions will be made by a medical committee.
“This is a matter of national security for the country,” Duma deputy speaker Pyotr Tolstoy said on his telegram channel.