Transgender people in Uruguay are celebrating after the country’s Congress passed a comprehensive trans law yesterday (18 October).

The law brings in a host of new rights for transgender people.

Most notably, trans people can now self-identify their gender and update their legal name, without approval from a judge.

The new law also creates scholarships for trans people to access education, as well as sets up affirmative action. It also now acknowledges the self-identification of non-binary people.

The comprehensive law also creates a monthly pension for transgender people born before 1975. This is a way of making reparations for trans people who were targeted by the government during the country’s dictatorship from 1973 to 1985.

The reparations are effective of 1 January this year and affect anyone born before 31 December 1975.

The new law also requires government services to employ a minimum of 1% of the transgender population.

62 of 88 senators voted in favor of the new law.

After the announcement of the result, the congress exploded in cheers and applause.

Colette Spinetti is the National Director of the Trans Collective of Uruguay.

She said: ‘It’s not only being included in education but permanence. It also establishes a comprehensive health system specifically for trans people.’

The new laws are effective immediately.

Earlier this year, a group of trans people and their allies came together to express their support for the law reform. The movement ‘Ley Trans YA’ (‘trans law now’) was born.

They each recorded a short video that said: ‘I support the comprehensive bill for trans people’.

See also:

Meet Uruguay’s first trans senator

Three men have first polyamorous wedding in Colombia

Colombia legalizes same-sex marriage