Argentina's Gender Identity Law Being Debated Tomorrow

When same gender marriage was passed last year in Argentina, the GL groups there in the wake of their happiness over its passage and being signed into law July 21 by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner uttered a bitterly familiar phrase to the transpeople left behind legislatively.

We've heard it said over and over in the United States and Canada but have seen them fail repeatedly to live up to it:  We'll come back for you.

Looks like the Argentine GL groups meant what they said.   

There is not only a push to get Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner reelected to another term in the upcoming October 23 election, they are pushing a Gender Identity Law on behalf of the trans community.

The Argentine Congress will begin debate tomorrow on a proposed gender identity law that if passed, would allow anyone to correct his or her name, gender and image registration in all public records through a quick and simple procedure.   

The current policy in Argentina is for trans people who wish to have government ID that reflects their name and gender presentation to get the changes to them done via a judge's ruling.   While our transpeople do occasionally win these court hearings, it can be a lengthy, costly and frustrating process if they have to appeal adverse rulings.

Because they have been trying since 2007 to get this bill through Congress and it keeps getting stuck in the Argentine Senate, in advance of tomorrow's upcoming debate,  FALGBT, the Argentinian Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people and the ATTTA (Asociación de Travestis, Transexuales y Transgéneros de Argentina) launched an informational campaign entitled 'Identitad:  Direcho de ser.'  (Identity: The Right to Be in English)  complete with this video.



Best of luck to our trans brothers and sisters in Argentina and hope I have positive news to report soon from our South American trans cousins 


H/T xQSi Magazine