Portugal tightens gender identity laws with new bans on youth hormone therapy
Portugal's parliament has moved to tighten gender identity laws after years of heated debate. Newly approved bills will ban hormone therapy for under-18s and block gender-identity education in schools. The changes mark a shift from the 2018 law, which allowed minors to access treatments with medical oversight.
The push for reform gained momentum over the past five years, led by conservative parties including Chega, PSD, and CDS-PP. Their focus on child protection clashed with existing policies, sparking intense discussions. The CDS proposal to prohibit hormone therapy for minors was approved, alongside Chega's bill to remove gender-identity topics from school curricula.
Under the 2018 *Selbstbestimmungsgesetz*, 16- to 18-year-olds needed an in-person consultation and a medical report, while adults faced no such requirements. Critics, like Miguel Ricou of the Clinical and Health Psychology Specialty Council, argue the new rules impose excessive control. He questioned why hormone access for adults over 18 would also face restrictions. The bills now head to the Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms, and Guarantees Commission for review. Once consolidated, they will return for a final vote, where approval is expected due to the combined majority of PSD, Chega, and CDS. If passed, the decree will go to the president for promulgation. The Portuguese Medical Association has offered to advise parliament on the changes.
The legislative overhaul reverses key aspects of the 2018 law, introducing stricter rules for minors and schools. Parliament's next steps will determine whether the president signs the measures into law. The outcome will reshape access to gender-related healthcare and education in Portugal.
