The Right to Personal Autonomy Regarding Sex, Gender and Sexual Orientation

Chapter I. Introduction; 1 Setting the Stage: Researching the Legal Status of LGBTIQ+ Persons in Belgium; A The Social and Legal Position of LGB+ Persons in Belgium; B The Social and Legal Position of Transgender Persons in Belgium; C The Social and Legal Position of Persons with Variations of Sex Characteristics in Belgium; 2 Objectives and Limits; A Objectives and General Design; B Focus on Sexual Minorities; 3 Methodology; A Belgium as Illustration of a Stereotyped Legal System; B Qualitative Literature Study; I Cross-Disciplinary Literature Review; II Legal Literature Review; C Analytic Tools: Personal Autonomy and Inclusiveness; I Personal Autonomy; II Inclusiveness; D Methodological Challenges; I Shifting and ‘Emerging’ Human Rights Standards; II Terminology; 4 Structure of the Book; Chapter II. Terminology and Framework; 1 Sex (characteristics), Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression; A Sex – Intersex/DSD – Variations of Sex Characteristics; I Sex; II Intersex/DSD/Variations of Sex Characteristics – Binary Normativity; B Sexual Orientation – Heteronormativity; I Sexual Orientation; II Heteronormativity; C Gender (Identity) – Gender Expression – Cisnormativity; I Transgender/Trans/Trans*; II Cisgender; D Conflation between Sex, Sexual Orientation and Gender (Identity); 2 LGBTIQ+; Chapter III. The Legal Status of Persons with Variations of Sex Characteristics; 1 Sex-Assigning/Normalizing Treatment of Persons with Variations of Sex Characteristics; A Informed Consent to Medical Treatment in Belgian Law; I Minor Patients’ Rights; B Evaluation of the Belgian Legal Framework; I Informed Consent to Sex-Assigning/Normalizing Treatment and Personal Autonomy; II International and European Calls for Ban on Non-Consensual Sex-Assigning/Normalizing Treatment; III Malta, Portugal and Germany: Legislative Alternatives; C Conclusion; I Future Legislation; II Impact on Official Sex Registration; 2 Official Registration of Sex; A The Belgian Civil Code; I Official Sex Registration at Birth; II Correction/Change of Sex Registration; B Evaluation of the Belgian Official Sex Registration; I General Characteristics of the Belgian Official Sex Registration; II Medical Registration of Sex; III Binary Sex Normativity; C Conclusion; Chapter IV. The Legal Status of Transgender Persons; 1 The Legal Recognition of Gender (Identity); A Sex/Gender Registration in Belgian Law; I Sex/Gender Registration at Birth; II The 2007 Act on Transsexuality; III The 2017 Gender Recognition Act; B Evaluation of the Belgian Gender Registration Framework; I The Right to (Legal Recognition of) Gender (Identity) and Personal Autonomy; II Depathologization of Transgender Persons; III Cisnormativity – Conflation Between Sex and Gender (Identity); IV Binary Normativity; 2 Rationale, Pertinence and Proportionality of Gender (Identity) Registration; A Identification on the Basis of Registered Gender (Identity); B Other Government Processes Based on Registered Gender (Identity); I Public Registration of Gender (Identity); II Compulsory Registration of Gender (Identity); III The Need for ‘Interim Measures’; IV Summary; 3 Conclusion; Chapter V. The Right to Personal Autonomy Regarding Sex (Characteristics), Gender (Identity and/or Expression) and Sexual Orientation; 1 The Role of Constitutional Fundamental Rights; A The Role of Fundamental Rights; I The Importance of Fundamental Rights; II Criteria for Creating New Fundamental Rights; B The Role of Constitutions and Constitutional Rights; I Symbolism; II Pragmatism; 2 Why a Right to Autonomy?; A The Emancipatory Function of Autonomy; B Autonomy vs. Equality; 3 Formulation and Scope of the Right to Personal Autonomy Regarding Sexual Identity; A Material Scope; I Continued Legal Relevance of Sexual Orientation; II Heteronormativity – Homonormativity; B Absolute vs. Relative Right; C The State’s Negative Obligations; D The State’s Positive Obligations; E Personal Scope; I (Inclusive) Universality of Human Rights; II Application to (Cisgender) Women and Feminist Critiques; 4 Conclusion; Chapter VI. General Conclusion; 1 Conclusions of the Research; A The Necessity of a Correct Conceptual Understanding of Sexual Identity; B The Belgian Legal System Fails to Fully Protect the Right to Personal Autonomy of Persons with Variations of Sex Characteristics; I Sex-Assigning/Normalizing Treatment of Persons with Variations of Sex Characteristics; II Official Sex Registration; C The Belgian Legal System Fails to Fully Protect the Right to Personal Autonomy of Transgender Persons; D Towards the Constitutional Protection of the Right to Personal Autonomy Regarding Sex (Characteristics), Gender (Identity/ Expression) and Sexual Orientation; 2 Suggestion for Further Research; Bibliography