TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) announced Tuesday (Oct. 8) its respect for a recent ruling by the Kaohsiung High Administrative Court (高雄高等行政法院) favoring a man who challenged the Chiayi City East District Household Registration Office's (嘉義市東區戶政事務所) refusal to change his gender.
The MOI had issued a 2008 circular requiring applicants for male-to-female gender changes to present evaluations from two psychiatric specialists and proof of male genital removal.
Despite not having undergone surgery for genital removal, the man, surnamed Lin, identifies as a woman, and have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria by the National Taiwan University Hospital, Yunlin Branch (台大雲林分院), and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi (嘉義長庚醫院).
The court deemed the office's actions a violation of his psychological and physical integrity rights. Since childhood, he claims to have felt discomfort with his biological sex, especially after surgery for cryptorchidism, which delayed the development of male secondary sex characteristics until middle school.
Currently, the ministry bases birth registration on biological sex but plans to continue gathering impact assessments and respect medical judgments while considering international legal frameworks for gender change criteria.
This case highlights the ongoing dialogue surrounding gender identity and legal recognition in Taiwan. The ministry's commitment to respecting court decisions and medical expertise may pave the way for future policy developments.