Spain's New Equalities Laws Greeted by Many

Spain’s congress and senate has approved a bill known colloquially as the “trans law” because it allows for self identification of gender.  But the law also implements a formal nationwide ban on anti-gay and anti-trans conversion therapies.  Wikipedia notes that previously, conversion therapies had been more patchy, with local laws enacted by regional legislatures.  Irene Montero, the Spanish Equalities Minister, told reporters that the new legislation which also liberalises abortion access and gives provision for paved menstural leave from work, was a “giant step forward”.  US based gay newswire LGBTQ+ Nation said that Ms Montero  had hit back at conservative deputies who had said that trans rights were taken “too far” in the new legislation and that women would be at risk.  She remarked “No man needs to impersonate women to rape women, to sexually assault women, so trans people do not put us cisgender women at risk”.