Russians Turn To Sex Change To Avoid Mobilization; Duma To Ban Gender Reassignment Without Surgery

More Russians are now considering getting a sex change to avoid being drafted into the army amid the war in Ukraine, according to a report.

Since the war began in February 2022, Russia has seen a surge of young people going to private clinics to get certifications stating they have undergone gender reassignment in hopes of avoiding getting conscripted into the military. The certificate costs between 30,000 to 60,000 rubles ($382 to $764) and would allow Russian citizens to change their gender and name at the registry office and passport office.

"Over the past time, 2,700 decisions related to gender reassignment have been registered in our country," State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said at a meeting of the Council of Legislators, as reported by Kommersant, per translations via Google Translate.

"Decisions can be made in private clinics. A man gets up in the morning and decides for himself that he is no longer a man, but a woman; not a woman, but a man. He goes to a paid clinic - the service costs from 30 thousand to 60 thousand rubles - receives a certificate and with this certificate goes further to the registry office, to the passport office to change his last name, first name and patronymic," he added.

The number of passports issued in connection with a change of gender marker in Russia increased significantly in 2022, beginning in March after President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At least 936 new passports were issued in 2022 due to a change of gender marker. In comparison, only 554 were issued in 2021 and 428 in 2020, per an analysis by Mediazona.

As a result of the recent sex change trend in Russia, lawmakers are now working on a bill to ban gender reassignment without having undergone surgery. The bill aims to both protect what Russian Duma deputies as family values as well as prevent Russians from avoiding drafting amid the spring conscription campaign.

The bill is expected to be introduced to the lower house of parliament soon, with the earliest date being on May 15. The State Duma is working with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health on the proposal.