Portugal's Parliament Moves to Restrict Transgender Rights in Landmark Vote
Portugal's parliament has advanced legislative proposals that could roll back transgender rights. The initiatives target Law No. 38/2018, which currently allows self-determination for gender identity and expression. Critics argue the changes defy scientific consensus and international human rights standards. On April 19, lawmakers approved two key proposals for detailed debate. The centre-right PSD pushed to scrap the 2018 law entirely, reverting to the 2011 system where medical validation was mandatory for legal name and gender changes. Meanwhile, the far-right Chega party framed its proposal as protecting minors, seeking stricter controls on gender marker updates.
The conservative CDS-PP went further, calling for a ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapies for under-18s in gender dysphoria treatment. These moves contradict guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which states gender identity is innate and not a mental disorder.
Before the vote, the government faced pressure to release an opinion from the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG). The CIG, tasked with advising on equality laws, had reportedly warned that reintroducing medical requirements would violate constitutional rights to self-determination and equality. Its opinion also cited the Yogyakarta Principles, arguing forced diagnostics breach human dignity. Yet the government did not make the CIG's findings public before the debate.
On March 26, a coalition of LGBTI+ groups demanded transparency. They urged officials to disclose the CIG's stance and take a clear position against the proposals. The government proceeded without doing so. The proposals now move to the next legislative stage. If passed, they would reinstate barriers to legal gender recognition that were removed in 2018. The changes would also restrict medical care for transgender youth, despite opposition from health authorities and human rights organisations.
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