Brazil's Supreme Court Authorizes Gender Modifications on Civil Registry Without Undergoing Sex Change

03/02/2018 - 10h32

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LETÍCIA CASADO

FROM BRASÍLIA

Brazil's Supreme Court unanimously decided on Thursday (the 1st) that Brazilians can change their genders on the civil registry without having to undergo a sex-change operation or having to wait for legal authorization.

The change can be made at a notary's office.

Transsexual and transgender individuals may also request to change their names and gender without having to undergo a medical or psychological evaluation.

The justices found that there should be no minimum age for making such changes in the registry. The lawsuit was filed by the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) in 2009.

The PGR maintained that the right to claiming one's own gender is based on the principles of individual dignity, equality, the prohibition of hateful discrimination, freedom and privacy, all of which are in the Federal Constitution and must therefore be observed.

"The ruling is a line in the sand that should be celebrated. Up until now, bureaucratic procedures had been on the rise for those who wanted the civil registry to reflect their gender identity and their names", said Carlos Eduardo Paz, a federal prosecutor.

"With this ruling, the Supreme Court has signaled a step forward in terms of citizenship. From now on and without further constraints, transgender individuals can demand that the state fully recognize their right to happiness without having to face any kind of prejudice or institutional violence", Mr. Paz said.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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