'Changing gender should be as easy as changing car numberplate'

Next week the Swedish parliament is expected to pass a law abolishing a requirement for people changing their legal gender to be sterilised.

The move follows a high level and at times bitter debate about a four-decade old law that pitted equality activists against conservative politicians.

The activists argued that the 1972 law - making Sweden one of the first countries in the world to allow legal gender change - breached human rights.

Opponents objected to possible situati...