Portugal Bans Irreversible Sex Change Treatments for Minors and Restores Clinical Criteria in Gender Identity

The Portuguese Parliament has approved in first reading several bills introduced by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the CDS-PP, and the sovereigntist CHEGA party that substantially modify the gender identity regulations in force since 2018.

The central measure establishes a strict prohibition on puberty blockers and hormonal treatments for any minor under 18 years of age, while requiring the reinstatement of mandatory clinical reports—prepared by psychologists and physicians—for any change in registered name and sex, thereby eliminating the pure self-determination allowed by the previous law.

This reform, driven by the center-right coalition and strongly supported by CHEGA, returns the legal framework to scientific and medical criteria similar to those of the 2011 legislation, prioritizing the protection of childhood against irreversible decisions.

According to the promoters, including CHEGA’s parliamentary leader Pedro Pinto, “changing sex before the age of 18 is inconceivable,” and the measure responds to consultations with parents’ associations and medical professionals, reinforcing the role of families in decisions of this magnitude.

The defenders of the law consider it a measure for the protection of childhood and the reinforcement of the role of families in this type of decisions.The 2018 law, which made Portugal one of Europe’s pioneering countries in allowing gender change by mere personal will without medical requirements, is partially repealed in its most controversial aspects.

Now, legal identity is once again based on clinical evidence and not solely on subjective self-determination. For minors, any hormonal intervention or puberty suppression is prohibited, thus avoiding treatments that, according to accumulated scientific evidence in several European countries, can cause permanent consequences in bone, cardiovascular, and psychological development.

This decision is set within a European context of growing prudence. Countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Finland have already restricted or suspended these protocols for minors following independent reviews that questioned their long-term safety and efficacy.

In Portugal, the parliamentary right—including the governing formation—has acted responsibly in the face of the gender ideology that for years imposed changes without deep debate or safeguards.

The approval, with 151 votes in favor and 79 against, marks a clear turning point in Portuguese politics and demonstrates that, when the best interests of the child are prioritized, reason and science prevail over ideological dogmas.

It is a forceful message: childhood is not a laboratory for social experiments. Minors deserve time, maturity, and real protection, not irreversible precipitation driven by activisms.

This reform not only corrects a legislative error from 2018 but also positions Portugal at the forefront of European common sense, firmly defending the natural development of its most vulnerable citizens.

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