MEXICO CITY — Mexico's Supreme Court asked the state of Jalisco on Wednesday to grant a new birth certificate to a resident there to reflect the fact the person changed their sex and name, another step toward equal rights in the socially conservative country.

"As the Supreme Court has argued in other cases, everyone has the right to define their own sexual and gender identity and it is the state's responsibility to guarantee this decision, which is reflected in the different documents, mainly in the birth certificate," the court said in a statement.

The court said the person, who was not identified, could go to the civil registry directly to request the new birth certificate, which is required for an array of legal and bureaucratic procedures in Mexico.

In January, the court ruled that same-sex partners have a right to receive the social security benefits of their deceased partner after the Mexican Social Security Institute said this benefit was not afforded to gay couples.

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