The Interior Ministry is investigating a possible "fraudulent use" of the transgender law in two sex changes in the Fire Department.

BarcelonaThe Department of the Interior is investigating whether two firefighters, one from the Badalona fire station and the other from the Vic fire station, made "fraudulent use" of the transgender law, according to the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon. According to the report, The Newspaper As ARA has been able to confirm, both firefighters requested a sex change and are listed as women, but they have not changed their names or their conduct. "These cases are under investigation, and the appropriate decisions will be made," said Minister Parlon.

The Ministry of the Interior is now studying these two cases and also what measures can be applied to prevent new ones. In fact, according to sources consulted by ARA, a similar case was detected in a candidate for the civil service, who ultimately failed. From then on, the Ministry of the Interior changed the rules for the call for applications to curb these situations. "We added a section that specifies that if there are suspicions of fraud, it is a reason for exclusion," says Alba Alfageme, director of the Ministry's Office for Security and Cross-Cutting Policies.

In fact, according to Interior sources, one of the firefighters internally praised this change to criticize the transgender law and the 40% reservation for women in the competitive examinations to enter the force. All of this is now under investigation, and it is also not ruled out that they took this step to try to advance internally more easily. Parlon noted that the Alfageme office is working to ensure that all the "benefits" provided by the new equality laws are fulfilled without causing "legal fraud." She also noted that they are studying how to respond disciplinarily to these behaviors and whether the disciplinary regime should be adapted.

Common Front

In parallel, the Ministry of the Interior is speaking with relevant organizations and associations, as well as with the Prosecutor's Office and the judiciary, to find consensual solutions to these situations. "We need a united front," Alfageme told ARA. For now, the regional ministry has sent an internal circular to the Fire Department declaring its opposition to this "fraudulent use" of the law. This Thursday, the department is holding a training program (which had already been planned) to explain LGBTI diversity. This fraudulent use of the new transgender law is not only affecting the Ministry of the Interior; several cases have also been reported across Spain of Civil Guard and military personnel who have also changed their gender but not their names.