Medicolegal issues surrounding legal sex designations

Fertil Steril. 2021 Oct;116(4):922-923. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.08.020.

Abstract

The medical profession is deeply involved in designating and amending the sex designations on legal records that themselves are not used clinically. The assumptions inherent in the current legal sex designation system and the criteria for amending such are being reexamined. The harms of the current legal sex designation system, especially for transgender people, have become increasingly recognized. Consequently, the appropriateness of the health care professional's participation in recording legal sex designations has been called into question. Herein, we describe the medicolegal challenges surrounding legal sex designations and their potential solutions.

Keywords: Transgender health; ethics; health law policy; sex and gender identity.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Gender Dysphoria / psychology*
  • Gender Identity*
  • Health Services for Transgender Persons / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Human Rights / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sex Reassignment Procedures*
  • Transgender Persons / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Transgender Persons / psychology
  • Transsexualism / physiopathology
  • Transsexualism / psychology
  • Transsexualism / surgery*