Emma Kohler against the "transsexual law".

Activist Emma Kohler calls for the abolition of the "transsexual law"

In Germany, people live self-determined lives and do not have to fear any disadvantages... Or do they? If you take a look at the rights of queers, you often inevitably come across construction sites. The sentence "What else do you want? You already have everything?" - which, among other things, often makes the rounds in social networks - is accordingly not only presumptuous, but simply wrong.

In many countries, homosexual men are still only allowed to donate blood under certain conditions, and transsexual people also have to overcome some hurdles before their sexuality is recognized by the state.

More and more voices are being raised against this injustice. One of them belongs to 17-year-old Emma Kohler. She is one of the many transsexual people who suffer under the provisions of the TSG ("Transsexual Act"). The corresponding regulations are several decades old and do not allow, for example, to change one's personal status without further ado, if the gender reassignment surgery has not yet been performed. (Supplementary it should be mentioned here that the name can be changed, however).

Emma Kohler's petition is attracting a lot of interest. So far (as of Feb. 11, 2022), more than 77,000 people have signed on change.org. The addition of "At 150,000 signatures, this petition will become one of the most signed petitions on Change.org! " should be additionally motivating and show how versatile people's interest in changing the status quo is.

What is so "bad" about the transsexual law anyway?

This is a question that is likely to concern many who have not yet dealt with the subject in any depth. However, if you take a little time to look into the matter in more detail, you will quickly realize that the TSG only unnecessarily puts obstacles in the way of people who were born in the wrong body. Among other things it needs two psychological appraisals, in whose connection humiliating questions, are asked, in order to lead a change of the personal status into the ways. In addition, the procedure is not only time-consuming and humiliating, but also costly. So costly, in fact, that many of those affected simply cannot afford to take the appropriate steps. Interestingly, the procedure has even been declared illegal by the Federal Constitutional Court in the past. Actually, then, it's only a matter of time before legislation follows suit, isn't it?

Emma Kohler's petition is supported by various bodies

Emma Kohler and the more than 77,000 people who have signed the petition so far are not alone. In the meantime, more and more organizations and associations have joined her side. The wish for #selbstbestimmung2022 is supported by the Bundesverband Trans* e.V., the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Transidentität und Intersexualität e. V. and Lesbenberatung Berlin e. V., among others.

Emma Kohler's demands are now also receiving a lot of support on social networks. The young woman is active on Instagram, among other places, and uses the attention to draw attention to this important issue. Accordingly, there is definitely no question of young people being disenchanted with politics. Among other things, Emma is also active in Fridays For Future.

Their goals? Self-determination and more tolerance. And even if the goal that the TSG should be abolished this year may sound a bit ambitious, it is encouraging to see with how much heart and soul a large part of the community and many people who feel connected to the scene are fighting for more rights AND justice here right now.

 

Heard the news? There will soon be more rights for rainbow families