Attack on trans rights in Switzerland

Even in the Western world, trans people are increasingly coming under pressure – especially in the USA. But even in Switzerland, politicians from the Swiss People's Party now want to impose restrictions. The trans community is fighting back and is being supported by Queeramnesty and other queer organizations. Our author, a trans man, tells us exactly what it was like for him when he was 15.

Text: Jared Barthel

It began with a press release on July 7, 2025: Zurich's Director of Health, Natalie Rickli (Swiss People's Party), declared that, in her opinion, transgender youth should only be allowed to undergo irreversible gender-affirming measures after the age of 18. This restriction should be enshrined at the federal level. A corresponding motion was submitted by Zurich National Councillor Nina Fehr Düsel (Swiss People's Party) on September 23.

The document calls for the Federal Council to severely restrict gender-affirming surgeries on minors in Switzerland. Furthermore, puberty blockers should only be administered under scientific supervision.

The demand is justified by the claim that the number of gender-affirming surgeries among young people has tripled since 2018. The fact that this represents an increase from 0 to 4 cases in Zurich is conveniently ignored.

A strangely contradictory stance

The focus on such a small group of people seems contradictory, especially since the opponents of a third gender option argue that no laws are needed for such a small minority.

In any case, the demand is discriminatory; it focuses exclusively on trans youth and equates gender reassignment surgery with cosmetic surgery in its handling.

Vaguely worded claims paint a picture of gender mutilation of children, performed on a whim without parental consent and later regretted. In almost all cases, these are mastectomies (the removal of breast tissue) performed on legally competent transgender adolescents. Even now, such operations are only performed cautiously and after lengthy assessments in Zurich hospitals.

The community is fighting back.

“If this passes, we expect the next target to be the distribution of hormones to those under 18,” says Jann Krauss of the Transgender Network Switzerland (TGNS). He fears that Swiss politics is increasingly aligning itself with the USA, where hormonal contraceptives and abortions are currently also under attack from conservatives.

Following Natalie Rickli's press release, 15,000 signatures from private individuals rejecting her demands were collected within a very short time. TGNS is supported in its resistance by numerous organizations, including Queeramnesty. Together, we demand legal equality for trans people and a clear "no" to disguised bans under the guise of research.

Just a few years ago, this wasn't an issue.

For me, as a trans man who had gender reassignment surgery at 17 and has never regretted it, this debate is particularly disappointing. Unlike today, trans identities were practically not a public topic ten years ago. High-quality information was almost exclusively available in English – and for most people, being trans was a strange and rare phenomenon from film and television.

Compared to today, that was probably a blessing, but not ideal either. I only learned about the existence of trans men when I was 15 and understood that there was a recognized reason why I and the boys in my class had joked, even in primary school, that I was absolutely unsuitable to be a girl. My discomfort with my gender role suddenly made sense. And the feeling of pride when I was mistaken for a young man could be explained.

After a year of self-doubt and acceptance, research and preparation, I presented my findings to my family. The reactions ranged from confusion and fear to ignorance. Yet I never felt insecure or unloved. The desire to help was there, but I wasn't understood. My mother dragged me to doctors and psychologists. "We're not sure if she's a boy," was always the opening line. I remember the day she said that sentence yet again, and the psychiatrist I saw replied that I was probably quite sure, given that I had confided in my family.

Surgery after extensive examinations

After that, the confusion gradually gave way to acceptance and appreciation. Once I had consulted all the necessary doctors and psychologists specializing in gender identities, there were no major obstacles left: the psychological reports were written, the health insurance company was informed, and the medical procedures were initiated. I received my first testosterone injection at 16, and the mastectomy took place when I was 17. I was, in a sense, Natalie Rickli's living nightmare.

Today I am 25 and I don't regret these procedures – as do the vast majority of trans people, according to numerous studies. And I don't want to imagine what my mental state would be without them, since they supported my social transition by making the forced outing or lying to every new acquaintance unnecessary.

It's not pleasant to have to invent stories until you turn 18 about why your voice hasn't broken yet or why you always swim in a T-shirt. Having to come out as trans to strangers is also not always safe, because you never know how the other person will react – especially given the current heated discussions on the topic, which are being deliberately fueled by certain politicians and media outlets.

However, I imagine it to be particularly unbearable to be identified as trans at a young age in today's supposedly enlightened times and to know that nothing can be done about the irreversible consequences of puberty, which are guaranteed to set in without medical support. This will happen if Nina Fehr Düsel's proposals are adopted at the federal level.

The defense needs donations and commitment

The attack on the self-determination of trans youth didn't come out of nowhere – we've been facing a great deal of rejection and hatred for years. The popular British author J.K. Rowling has been receiving considerable support for her transphobic statements since 2019. The fact that the 2020 anti-discrimination law wasn't extended to transgender and intersex people also demonstrated that many in Switzerland harbor animosity towards this minority. After all, the 2024 initiative "Goodbye Gender Star!", which aimed to politically enforce the rejection of gender-neutral language, was defeated in Zurich. The motion now submitted is therefore just the latest attack against trans people.

That makes it all the more important that we now take up the fight. For a strong and successful counterattack, TGNS relies on donations and dedicated activism. For example, letters can be written to members of parliament or people can raise awareness in their own communities. Every little bit of support helps to thwart these transphobic plans.

(Info box) Support for trans people

Are you trans and need help in the current situation? Besides TGNS ( tgns.ch ), there are several other organizations that offer support:

Du-bist-du.ch is a counseling service where you can connect with young peer counselors. You can exchange ideas on topics such as coming out via email or in person.

Checkpoint Zurich ( cpzh.ch ) offers professional counselling on the topics of gender, identity and transition.