Alex was walking on the shores of Lake Geneva when they suddenly stopped still. In front of them, in between the chocolatier and the clockmaker, stood the town hall. Inside was the registry office.

Alex paused for a moment, then stepped inside. "I am a woman," Alex declared. A few moments later, Alex is no longer legally a man. She is a woman at last. 

Today, this is a possibility in Switzerland. This week, the country joined Norway, Belgium, Portugal and Ireland in allowing people to legally change their gender through self-identification alone.

This means that transgender people can legally switch genders by simply declaring they are male or female. 

The rules are very different in other countries. In some places, changing your gender is not possible at all. In 2020, Hungary banned the right for transgender people to legally change their gender. Today, 13 UN member states still use laws against cross-dressing to criminalise transgender people. 

Meanwhile, many European nations still require proofSomething that shows something else is true. from medical experts, such as a diagnosis of gender dysphoriaFeelings of discomfort or stress a person feels due to a mismatch between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. , that a person is transgender.

But some campaigners believe it is only a matter of time before countries such as the UKIn 2020, the UK scrapped plans to allow people to change their legal gender by self-identifying as male or female.  and the USA adopt the same rules as Switzerland. 

In the UK, activist groups such as StonewallA lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights charity founded in the UK in 1989. It is the largest LGBTQ+ rights organisation in Europe.  say legal self-identification would be a major step forward in the fight for transgender rights. They argue that forcing transgender people to prove to doctors that their gender identity is real is invasive and humiliating. 

But others bitterly disagree. Debbie Hayton, a transgender physics teacher and activist, believes that gender identity should be based on evidence, not feelings. She argues that self-identification could damage the credibility of the gender recognition process.

And some feminist groups say that self-identification could put cisgenderA person whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth. The term was first used in academic articles in the 1990s. women's rights at risk. In 2018, the inclusion of gender-fluidA person whose gender identity is not fixed. It can change over time or from day to day.  banker Philip Bunce, also known as Pippa Bunce, on a list of 100 female business champions caused controversy in the UK.

It is a view shared by Hayton. "Women have fought for sex-based protections, and schemes to promote women in business, politics and society. These are all under threat from the concept of self-identification."

Yet transgender rights actvists say the idea that people might use legal self-identification to suddenly change their gender on a whimA sudden desire or change of mind. , especially to access female spaces, is fake news. For transgender author Juno Dawson, it is an example of "moral panic".  

According to one 2018 study, two in five transgender Britons experienced a hate crime or incident in one year alone. Given the discrimination trans people face, few would legally change gender without serious thought. 

One thing is clear: legal self-identifciation could transform the lives of transgender people. But new rules could also change how everyone in society - from schools to families - interacts with the people around them on a daily basis. 

Yes: Gender is deeply personal. It is about feelings and thoughts, not outward appearances or actions. Everybody should be able to decide their own gender without interference. 

No: Changing legal gender is one of the most fundamental changes a person can make in life. Removing every single barrier would undermine the credibility of the entire system. 

Or...? There is another way. Governments can make the process easier without introducing self-declaration. One option is to require a note from a doctor but remove requirements for medical transition.