Transsexuals in Uruguay will soon be able to legally register a change of name and gender after the country's senate approved a controversial
bill.
The law, which was passed unanimously, is strongly opposed by the
Roman Catholic Church and opposition conservatives.
The bill is the latest in a series of liberal measures promoted by the left-wing Uruguayan government.
It will come into force as soon as it is signed by President Tabare Vasquez.
Under the new legislation, transsexuals will be able to change their
name on all official documents, from birth certificates to passports,
to reflect the gender of their choice.
The law was passed without problems in the Senate on Monday, after the
Chamber of Deputies changed the initial proposal to stress that it did
not constitute a legalisation of gay marriage.
The amendment came after the Civil Registry Office warned that by
allowing people to officially change their name and gender, same sex
couples could marry without hindrance.
Under the new proposal, documents reflecting the original gender and
name will not be destroyed, but archived and amended.
The amendment also restricts the change of gender and name to those
over 18 and stipulates that five years have to pass before an
applicant can request another change.
Gay, lesbian and transgender groups welcomed the vote.
Diego Sempol of the pressure group Ovejas Negras (Black Sheep), told
BBC Mundo its approval was a "big step forward for transsexuals" and
said it would ease their integration into the education and health
systems, as well as the labour market .
"We often find it hard to get jobs, because the way we look doesn't
match our documents. I don't look at all like the person on my ID, nor
does my name reflect my identity", said Fabricio, who was born a
woman.
The new law is one of a series of measures putting Uruguay at the
forefront of gay rights legislation.
It comes only a month after it became the first Latin American country
to allow gay couples the chance to adopt. Earlier this year, the
Uruguayan Congress also cleared the way for gay candidates to enter
military schools. Same-sex civil unions were legalised in 2008.
Church opposition
Those moves have been strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in Uruguay. The archbishop of Montevideo, Nicolas Cotugno, told Vatican Radio that the family as an institution had become the object of widespread attacks.
He said there were projects under way to promote homosexuality with
the aim of destroying the traditional family unit.
He also said that in the general election due later this month, the Church would support political candidates who promoted laws with
"Christian values".
While its raft of liberal measures may well have won the governing
left-wing coalition the sympathy of gay and transsexual voters, its
popularity with the wider population will only become apparent on
election day on 25 October.
Published: 2009/10/13 11:39:19 GMT
© BBC MMIX
http://news. bbc.co.uk/ go/pr/fr/ -/2/hi/americas/ 8304123.stm
bill.
The law, which was passed unanimously, is strongly opposed by the
Roman Catholic Church and opposition conservatives.
The bill is the latest in a series of liberal measures promoted by the left-wing Uruguayan government.
It will come into force as soon as it is signed by President Tabare Vasquez.
Under the new legislation, transsexuals will be able to change their
name on all official documents, from birth certificates to passports,
to reflect the gender of their choice.
The law was passed without problems in the Senate on Monday, after the
Chamber of Deputies changed the initial proposal to stress that it did
not constitute a legalisation of gay marriage.
The amendment came after the Civil Registry Office warned that by
allowing people to officially change their name and gender, same sex
couples could marry without hindrance.
Under the new proposal, documents reflecting the original gender and
name will not be destroyed, but archived and amended.
The amendment also restricts the change of gender and name to those
over 18 and stipulates that five years have to pass before an
applicant can request another change.
Gay, lesbian and transgender groups welcomed the vote.
Diego Sempol of the pressure group Ovejas Negras (Black Sheep), told
BBC Mundo its approval was a "big step forward for transsexuals" and
said it would ease their integration into the education and health
systems, as well as the labour market .
"We often find it hard to get jobs, because the way we look doesn't
match our documents. I don't look at all like the person on my ID, nor
does my name reflect my identity", said Fabricio, who was born a
woman.
The new law is one of a series of measures putting Uruguay at the
forefront of gay rights legislation.
It comes only a month after it became the first Latin American country
to allow gay couples the chance to adopt. Earlier this year, the
Uruguayan Congress also cleared the way for gay candidates to enter
military schools. Same-sex civil unions were legalised in 2008.
Church opposition
Those moves have been strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in Uruguay. The archbishop of Montevideo, Nicolas Cotugno, told Vatican Radio that the family as an institution had become the object of widespread attacks.
He said there were projects under way to promote homosexuality with
the aim of destroying the traditional family unit.
He also said that in the general election due later this month, the Church would support political candidates who promoted laws with
"Christian values".
While its raft of liberal measures may well have won the governing
left-wing coalition the sympathy of gay and transsexual voters, its
popularity with the wider population will only become apparent on
election day on 25 October.
Published: 2009/10/13 11:39:19 GMT
© BBC MMIX
http://news. bbc.co.uk/ go/pr/fr/ -/2/hi/americas/ 8304123.stm
