The Queensland Labor government has passed new laws allowing self-identifying transgender children aged 12 and older to change their birth certificates without undergoing sex reassignment surgery. Previously, surgery was necessary to alter the gender on birth certificates, but the Births Deaths and Marriages Registration Bill 2022 has eliminated that requirement. The laws also permit trans and gender-diverse individuals to legally change their name along with their formal gender. For children aged 12 to 16, parents or guardians can apply directly to a government registry or through a court application following specific criteria and a counselor’s assessment, without needing a doctor’s certificate. In addition, same-sex or gender-diverse parents can now register as “mother” or “father.” The Labor Attorney-General, Yvette D’Ath, believes these changes support the LGBT+ community, which has faced discrimination and hate. The laws gained the support of the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee but were opposed by the Liberal-National Party, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP), and the independent member for Noosa, Sandy Bolton. Critics, including Robbie Katter of the KAP and Sall Grover, founder of the women-only app Giggle, expressed concerns about the law. Grover believes it will lead to an increase in transgenderism and argued against the ability to freely change gender on birth certificates. The move by the Queensland government follows criticism of Victorian officials for allowing a transgender individual with a history of sexual violence to transfer from a male prison to a female one, which raised concerns about the safety and wellbeing of female inmates. Studies have also shown that younger people choosing to transition, who already struggle with mental conditions, do not necessarily experience improved well-being after undergoing surgery.