性同一性障害治療にかかわる法問題

Legal Issues Related to the Treatment of Gender Identity Disorder

はじめに

　近年，「性同一性障害者の性別の取扱いの特例に関する法律」（以下，特例法）が定める性別取扱い変更の諸要件のうち，性別適合手術と関連する要件について重要な司法判断が示された。

　患者が希望する性別適合手術の実施が適法であることは変わらない。しかし，患者がどのような医療ケアを受けるかまたは受けないのか意思決定する際に，その医療ケアが性別取扱い変更にとって必須かどうかを誤解したまま，誤解に基づき意思決定する事態を防ぐことが医療倫理上重要である。

　本稿では，性別取扱い変更手続きおよびその要件をめぐる司法判断などを整理する。

　Recent judicial decisions in Japan regarding legal gender changes are summarized herein. These decisions made it possible for transgender people to change their legal gender even if they have not yet undergone surgery affecting their internal and external genitalia. However, it is unclear what these judicial decisions achieve in the cases of transgender women.

　When individuals are considering the medical care that they will receive for gender identity disorder, it is important that they are able to make the appropriate choices based on their own desires and living situations, taking into account the latest judicial decisions. Medical professionals should have an understanding of the relevant legal situation in order to assist their patients with their medical care decisions.