Transsexual people will in future have their new gender recognised under Manx law.
Under the Gender Recognition Bill 2008, a transsexual person's new gender will be recognised for all legal purposes, including marriage.
At present that's not the case, and the new law has been drafted in the wake of a judgement by the European Court of Human Rights.
Marian Kenny reports (text, below, from attached audio file):
The Strasbourg court's judgment on cases brought against the United Kingdom means the Isle of Man has an international legal obligation to change its law.
Under the bill, a person who has obtained a full gender recognition certificate from the UK Gender Recognition Panel will be legally recognised in the Island in their new gender.
The UK panel must be satisfied the applicant has or has had gender dysphoria, has lived in the aquired gender for at least two years, and intends to do so until death.
The public are invited to submit any comments or proposals, and the closing date is May 23.
The bill can be downloaded at gov.im/cso
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