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A fugitive transgender neo-Nazi has applied to become non-binary while on the run.
In a case that has shone an uncomfortable light on Germany’s ultra-liberal gender laws, Marla-Svenja Liebich, who was convicted as a man for inciting hatred, registered as a woman to avoid being sent to a men’s prison, and now wants to be neither male or female.
In July 2023, the far-Right extremist was sentenced to 18 months for several offences, including incitement to hatred, defamation and insult. Liebich had been photographed at far-Right rallies wearing a Nazi-style uniform.
But Liebich made headlines around the world in late 2024 when he applied to change gender to become a woman ahead of sentencing, so that he would serve his time in a woman’s prison.
Liebich was due to go to the Chemnitz women’s prison in Saxony, but skipped bail and is on the run.
Liebich is supposed to appear in person at the registry office to change gender, but is arguing that his rights are being violated because he would presumably be arrested at the appointment and prevented from changing his gender again. An official technical supervisory complaint has been submitted.
Before changing his gender from man to woman, Liebich had referred to LGBT people as “parasites of society” and had disrupted a pride event in Halle, eastern Germany, leading to speculation that the gender transition was a political message or a way to get a lighter sentence.
Liebich’s case brought global attention to Germany’s “self-determination act”, which was brought in in 2023 by the centre-Left government of Olaf Scholz and made changing one’s name and gender a matter for the registry office, with no need for expert or medical opinion.
The law also allows citizens to change their gender twice a year and makes it a criminal offence to purposely refer to someone by the wrong pronouns.
Source: Transgender neo-Nazi applies to become non-binary while on the run