The situation in France?

[TynSoldier]

I've just got back from a holiday with a British friend who now lives in France.

She's been aware of my views on self-ID and was and is generally supportive of the GC view.

However, one bar we were in had women's and men's toilet cubicles but within a unisex toilet, so the sink area was shared. I ended up washing my hands next to a man and when I got back to my friend I told her and said I thought it was uncomfortable. She said she didn't see the problem with this set up, and that it's quite common in France to have to walk past men with their penises out pissing in France to get to the women's cubicles. She says that it's a shock but that you get used to it, and that it's not a problem. I said I don't think women should have to get used to it, and I didn't want it happening in Britain.

But is it true that this is the situation in France and there are no problems?

The change that is being discussed on here is about self-identification. At present the individual needs to have a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Do you have self-ID in Belgium?

I'll be honest; I couldn't tell you without consulting said law and reading the explanatory memorandum.

How I understand it, we somewhat have. If you want to change gender, you have to fulfil five conditions (literally, it says boundaries, but I think conditions is better here):

1. You need a “long-standing” conviction that your gender and sex don’t match up. Basically just sign a declaration (standardized: justitie.belgium.be/sites/default/files/eerste_verklaring_voor_de_aanpassing_van_de_registratie_van_het_geslacht_in_de_akten_van_de_burgerlijke_stand.docx) and visit the local civil servant, responsible for civil registration.

2. You need to repeat your initial request (again a standardized form, very similar to the first one), after a waiting period between three and maximum 6 months.

3. You need to read a brochure. (I’m not going to link it since I don’t know if you prefer Dutch, German or French)

4. A positive opinion from the public prosecution service (I suppose this is because they are able to access your criminal record etc…).

5. You need to be completely aware that you can only change once.

The memorandum states that they have introduced these limitations to prevent light-hearted switching and fraud.

So conditional self-ID? No medical diagnosis is required (and you no longer need to have a sterilisation and an operation)? Or would you use another term?

incallthebloodytime Women feel alarmed more so when people are in disguise, men seem to think that the women's clothing should reassure us

The wolf in sheep's clothing is more of a risk than the visible wolf.

I'm not sure that I think the French example is the best one to follow - from the perspective of women.

Quite a bit of outrage recently over the introduction of men's urinals in very visible public spaces: www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/paris-urinals-tourists-locals-reaction-uritrottoirs-toilets-notre-dame-a8491326.html