today came the new gender my in the post, wrote Christine Jentoft. Since last summer has 490 norwegians obtained legal and government-approved gender reassignment.
1. July was, it namely made easier to be granted legal gender reassignment in Norway after long time struggle.
It was a long-awaited law and opportunity for those it applies to. That so many have availed themselves of the opportunity, is a sign that this was time, ” says psychiatric nurse Anders Røyneberg in the foundation of Sex and society.
He is working especially with trans-thematic, and is often in contact with people who are in a gender reassignment process.
– There are 490 people who have been given a new number due to change of gender in the period 1. July to 31. December of last year, says communication advisor Thomas Aleksander Ege in the Directorate of taxes to the VG.
Read VG-Special: Ingentransland
Finally recognized by the state
One of these is Christine Jentoft from Bærum.
– I knew early that I had feelings that something is not matched completely, but, due to the lack of information and little guidance, it took many years before I got to put words on what I felt, ” says Christine to VG.
She uses the term trans or transkjønnet about his gender identity.
Jentoft is satisfied that the legislation provides an opportunity and the acceptance from the authorities, which has not been there before.
ten years ago: Transgender fought for two pass
It is important among other things because you feel recognized by their own state as the gender one even considers itself to be. You don’t have to wait several years on any hormone therapy or surgery to be able to get the right gender in their legal documents, ” says Jentoft.
ADVISOR: the project Manager, the psychiatric nurse and the counselor at Sex and society, Anders Røyneberg.
Photo: Ingunn Saltbones, VG
Previously, one had to undergo the so-called bottom surgery to be able to change.
The new law about the change of legal gender, also allows for international travel without having to stand in any border and answer questions about why your passport says “man” when the controller reads a as a woman, adds Christine Jentoft.
She is also satisfied with the fact that she now won’t have to account for their kjønnshistorikk every time she meets an entity that requires your social security number.
Greater openness and tolerance
Røyneberg in Sex and society thinks that it has happened very much in Norway during the last few years with openness, tolerance and accessibility to change the gender.
Many transgender struggle is still to be understood and included by others. This often creates feelings of shame that can provide mental ailments. The people we meet tell of discrimination in health care, school and business. But it’s still been much greater transparency about this in a short time, ” says Røyneberg to VG.
see also: well-Known actor was considering gender reassignment
Christine Jentoft think it is a big number when close to 500 norwegians on half a year has changed legal gender.
– It shows how many people have been waiting for the opportunity. I also think that there is more that is going to change as fast as they can, either because they are not completely ready yet, or has not been joined, it is possible.
Practical problems
Jentoft adds, nevertheless, cannot hide the fact that there are still certain problems related to a new gender in the Norwegian society.
– When I changed my legal gender, I received my new social security number reasonably fast, since we have gender social security number in Norway. As went the actual change is quite painless. But other systems posed problems. I received a mail from the bank where they wrote – “We have received notification from the national register (Folkeregisteret) about your D-number is replaced with ordinary Norwegian social security number.” So basically, I was welcomed to Norway, ” she tells us.
(D-number is a number that can be allocated to foreign persons who do not have a Norwegian national identity number red.anm.)
She felt also that her bank id was deleted and she had little access to their own accounts some days.
After she created the new “MinID” she had suddenly two users with NAV. In addition, she had to arrange a new passport, new driver’s license and new credit cards. She is surprised how difficult it was to get services from their bank, all the time the change of legal gender was also done before the legislative amendment.
Born in the wrong body
recent years, The media mirror, the young people seeking a new gender identity. TV2-series “Born in the wrong body” in 2014 received a lot of attention in order to challenge the norwegians in prejudice. People who had had problems with their gender identity, told his story, and the TV series was a seersuksess.
see also: Close, strong and thought-provoking (VG Plus)
Christine Jentoft, identifying himself not with the concept of “born in the wrong body”. But she has experienced that people have met her as transgender Christine in different ways.
It has been mostly positive but also some negative. In the beginning, it was difficult for some to accept, and several were worried about what this would mean for me and my family. I let people choose whether they still wanted contact, and most wanted it. I have also not allowed that any one should speak disparagingly about my situation, but that they rather got to read up on the subject if they wanted a conversation about it, ” says Christine.
She believes those of family, kin and friends who remained in her life have been able to see how much it has meant to her to be able to be themselves.
– On the way they have come closer.
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