Change in the definition of gender

11 June 2024 1 min read

By Johan Zetterstrom and Barbara Angene

At a glance

  • As of 1 July 2025, a change in the definition of gender in the Swedish Discrimination Act will enter into force.
  • The new law is part of the efforts to improve the quality of life for transgender people and promote their equal participation in the labour market.

To comply with a new law on gender identity, a change in the definition of gender in the Swedish Discrimination Act will enter into force 1 July 2025.

The updated definition guarantees that ‘gender’, as a ground for discrimination, will cover all individuals, whether they identify as a woman or a man. It also includes those who plan to, or have already, adopted a gender different from the one recorded in the population register. Further, it covers those who intend to, or have undergone, bodily alterations through surgical procedures specified under the new Act on Certain Surgical Procedures in the Genitals.

The new law is part of the efforts to improve the quality of life for transgender people and promote their equal participation in the labour market.