Name Change Episode IV: A New Law
So as of today, Germany's got a new law on the books! It'll take effect in November of this year. The so called "Selbstbestimmungsgesetz" (literally "self-determination law") will allow trans people to change their legal names and gender much, much more easily.
Here's a "quick" summary of my understanding:
There is a 3 month waiting period between your request for a name/gender change and the change actually taking effect. (As such, you may already file your request in August to have it kick in simultaneously with the new law.)
Requests must be accompanied by a statement that you understand what you are doing and what consequences this will have.
Kids have to be in agreement with their parents to file a request. If they disagree, a court will decide whether the request can be granted or not.
Adults cannot change their name and gender again for a year. Children are exempt from this waiting period.
If you revert to a previous gender, you must also revert to the names you had at this point. (ie, if I were to detransition, I would return to my birth name. I would not be allowed to choose a new female name.)
You may request new versions of all sorts of official documents to have them updated with your new name and gender, obviously at your own cost. The old versions will remain on file where applicable.
Being nonbinary does not exclude you from laws using gendered language (ie "no man or woman shall commit arson" would still apply if you are legally neither)
Revealing or uncovering a person's former gender without their permission is punishable by fine (although you can probably only take legal steps if this was done with intent to harm you).
If you are legally nonbinary, you may request a gendered passport under a few restrictions (This is necessary if you are travelling to countries where only binary identities are acknowledged and/or you might fear prosecution)
The law only covers the legal, bureaucratic aspect of a name and gender change. It does not settle any medical or social aspects. As such, there's quite a few... "shortcomings":
Trans people, or generally gender-nonconforming people, can be barred from gendered spaces at the owner's discretion. (They may or may not have legal options to fight back, but at that point the discrimination already happened)
There is no clear stance on sports. Both inclusion and exclusion seem allowed. (Again, that's not what the law is for, but codifying that exclusion may be allowed is still yucky.)
In case of crisis or war, changes will still be granted, but ignored in regard to the draft etc. Trans women requesting a change during or less than two months before a war would therefore be considered male and drafted.
Overall, it's about five steps forward and one step back, and that's a lot more than we usually get. We can also consider ourselves very lucky that the final version of the law does not include the paragraph in which any name/gender changes were automatically transmitted to law enforcement. You can imagine how that would go.
If I may drop my long form serious tone for a moment:
AAAAAAAAHAKJD OH MY GOD IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED I CAN CHANGE MY NAME THIS YEAR ALREADY HOLY SHIT OH MY GOD HJBSAKJDSADVADAS
Thank you.
23 notes
·
View notes
I don’t know if it’s a headcanon for the sake of angst, or if people genuinely believe this: but where did we get the idea that Morro starved Lloyd to make him easier to possess?
At least, when I look at this dialogue.
“This armor, it weakens me. At the same time, Lloyd is fighting my possession.” - Stiix and Stones.
“Lloyd's spirit continues to fight my possession. He's getting stronger.” Peak-a-Boo.
“Save your strength, because I'll be needing it.” - The Crooked Path.
This whole Possession has been a double-edged sword. Now especially that last line? That’s the main reason I highly doubt Morro was starving Lloyd. Whatever Lloyd feels, so does he. If Lloyd is hungry, hurt and weak, that’s not going to be helping anyone. Not saying this makes Morro a nice guy, just that for all that he’s got a list of wrongs; starving someone likely isn’t one of them.
32 notes
·
View notes
Alternative universes are such a cool concept to me.
Like, imagine there's a universe where Colombus never sailed across the world, or even one where he was just not a shitty person. I wonder how different my life would be sometimes. Or maybe something a lot less impacting.
Maybe one where Ranboo Live or Wilbur Soot never got popular. I probably would have gotten over my DSMP faze a lot quicker than the almost three years it took me. They definitely helped shape my humor, no way I would be the same person.
Or a universe where I was actually born a boy. I think about that one a lot as well. I don't doubt my life would be easier, I don't doubt I would also be a LOT happier.
Maybe in a universe where the Library of Alexandria wasn't burned down, how much more literature would we have? How many more things would we know?
Do you think there's a Universe where there's a place that holds all the universe's secrets? I've thought of that a lot too. I've always pictured it as a ginormous library with bookshelves touching the ceiling to the floor, golden engravings etched along the side, and one of those moving ladders from Beauty and the Beast. There would be an area in the middle of the bookshelves with tables and tables seated next to each other in an infinite amount of rows. Of course, there would be two floors, maybe even a third! I think one of the floors would have a couple of restaurants. I'm picturing a Panera and a Tim Hortons, placed along the sides. The books would contain anything you could ever want to know, from the Meaning of Life to a Do it Yourself Book: Origamii Edition, to your favorite fan fiction in physical form!
11 notes
·
View notes