Denmark to finally remove being transgender from list of mental illnesses
The Danish Parliament has announced that identifying as transgender will no longer be classified as a mental illness in the country. The decision to no longer stigmatise transgender people has been labelled a ‘historic victory’.
This decision is a result of years of campaigning from human rights and LGBTI organisations such as Amnesty International.
Leda Avgousti, Amnesty International’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Advisor, said: “This very encouraging move from Denmark sets a strong example internationally towards destigmatising transgender people and paving the way for quick and transparent processes for legal gender recognition.
“It is disgraceful that globally the norm is for transgender people to be placed under the category of mental disorders because of their gender identity. This label means that transgender people are forced to undergo traumatising and humiliating psychiatric evaluations in order to legally change their gender or even to be able to access gender reassignment treatment.”
Pressure is currently being put on the World Health Organisation to stop classifying transgender as a mental illness in the International Classification of Disorders, and it is hoped that the move by Denmark will add to the momentum for change.
The World Health Organisation is set to revise the International Classification of Disorders by 2018.
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