When I read this story, I couldn’t help but think of the students at the University of Michigan who made changing their preferred pronouns into a running joke. I kind of hope Norwegians have a similar sense of humor, because this has MASSIVE hilarity potential.

According to this, Norway has now implemented a system where people can go online and change their gender on official records. No need for a doctor’s visit or surgery or counseling. You just wake up one morning, decide that you’re not the gender you were born, fill out the online paperwork, and BAM! You’re something COMPLETELY different than what your biology says.

Oh, and this legislation also applies to children. So, children as young as six (the sourcelink’s example is a ten-year-old boy who decided to become a girl) could decide that they are something else. And I’m SO SURE that the decision is completely their own, without parents or other adults informing them that this is A Thing that they should want.

From the article –

Provided they have parental consent, Norwegian children as young as 6 can now self-identify as male or female, effectively overruling the gender assigned to them at birth. Anna is one of nine minors in the country to have taken advantage since the new rules were adopted in June.

With no requirement for surgery or counseling, the process is as easy as filing a tax return. So far, Norway has not refused a single application. Soon, Anna will receive the official letter confirming the government recognizes her as the girl she always knew herself to be.

Way to go, Norway. Way. To. Freaking. Go.

Oh, and they thought about mandating a waiting period before making the transition official – but why require any sort of thought or reflection before making such a life-changing (literally!) decision! Just go online and change your gender the same way you order stuff from Amazon! –

Lawmakers considered adding a mandatory reflection period for… read more here