Swedish Parliament votes to make it easier for people to legally change their gender

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The Swedish parliament has passed a law lowering the age required for people to legally change their gender from 18 to 16. Young people under 18 will still need approval from a guardian, a doctor, and the National Board of Health and Welfare. The government of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has been split on the issue. The vote was 234 for and 94 against with 21 listed as absent. The center-right coalition of Sweden’s conservative prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has been split on the issue, with his own Moderates and the Liberals largely supporting the law while the small Christian Democrats were against it. Sweden Democrats, the populist party with far-right roots, also opposed it. Denmark, Norway, Finland and Spain are among countries that already have similar legislation.