An archive picture of Swedes protesting against classifying transgender people as mentally ill. Photo: Leif R Jansson/TTTransgender people will no longer be classified as “mentally ill” in Sweden, the country’s main national health authority has announced, in a decision widely criticised as overdue. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare, or Socialstyrelsen, announced late on Friday that it would no longer automatically apply the diagnosis “gender dysphoria” to transgender patients. “…more than anything, this change has an important symbolic value," Kristina Bränd Persson, the organisation’s head, said in a press release . For us, the decision is uncontroversial. We tend to follow the changes the WHO makes.”The decision was widely ridiculed on Twitter.

Source: The Local January 28, 2017 10:36 UTC