Advocacy for eliminating surgical requirement for gender designation
In a significant development for transgender rights in Taiwan, a public petition has been launched to abolish the mandatory surgery requirement for transgender individuals seeking to change their legal gender[1][3][4]. This petition, initiated by leaders from various fields including law, sociology, medicine, social work, and religious communities, reflects a growing push for legal recognition beyond the current surgical requirements[2].
The petition, spearheaded by the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR), calls for the withdrawal of the regulations that require transgender people to submit proof of genital surgery to change their legal gender[5][6]. This rule, issued by the Ministry of the Interior in 2008, also mandates two letters from a psychiatrist[7].
The movement has garnered support from diverse groups, with human rights experts, gender activists, lawyers, healthcare professionals, educators, labour union members, and sex workers joining the cause[3]. Victoria Hsu, a lawyer from TAPCPR, has emphasised the urgency of the matter, stating that human rights cannot be delayed even for a moment[4].
The petition is backed by seven court rulings in Taiwan that have stated surgery is not necessary to change one's legal gender, suggesting the ministry's regulations might be unconstitutional and illegal[6]. National Taiwan University professor Chang Hsiao-hung has further argued that requiring surgery to change one's legal gender is a form of state violence reinforcing the gender binary[8].
The ministry, however, has only stated it would wait for legislative action without committing to a timeline[1]. Victoria Hsu has also called for the ministry to accelerate legislative action[4]. The petition urges the government to act immediately to meet public demand[1][3][4].
The stance of the petition is supported by a 2014 ruling from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which states that surgery should not be a requirement to change legal gender[6].
As of mid-August 2025, the petition is actively seeking support, signaling organized advocacy but without indication yet of legal change having taken place[1][3][4]. The alliance is calling on all who support transgender rights to speak out together[2].
[1] https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/08/15/2003769332 [2] https://www.apnews.com/article/taiwan-transgender-rights-petition-lgbtq-7f6d8d457e4c9345e61a2b17c755a70c [3] https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-transgender-rights-activists-call-end-surgery-requirements-legal-gender-change-2025-08-15/ [4] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58346120 [5] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/world/asia/taiwan-transgender-rights-surgery.html [6] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/15/taiwan-transgender-rights-activists-call-for-end-to-surgery-requirements-for-legal-gender-change [7] https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/15/asia/taiwan-transgender-rights-surgery-requirements-intl-hnk/index.html [8] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/15/taiwan-transgender-rights-activists-call-for-end-to-surgery-requirements-for-legal-gender-change
The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) has initiated a petition, urging the withdrawal of the current policy-and-legislation requiring transgender people to undergo genital surgery and submit documentation from psychiatrists to change their legal gender, a move supported by seven court rulings in Taiwan and the 2014 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The petition, backed by various groups including human rights experts, gender activists, and labor union members, calls for immediate action from the government in politics and general news, as it reflects a growing push for legal recognition beyond the current surgical requirements. Despite the urgency and support, the ministry has only stated it will wait for legislative action without committing to a timeline, prompting calls from advocates for accelerated action in this ongoing politics matter.
