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The move puts the federal requirements more in line with provinces, where change is swiftly spreading across the country. Currently, Ontario, B.C., Alberta and Manitoba have removed sex-reassignment surgery as a requirement for changing gender on provincial documents like birth certificates. Other provinces and territories, like Nova Scotia, have introduced legislation to change their requirements as well.

The move from the federal government came as a surprise to Ryan Dyck, the director of research, policy and development at Egale Canada, an LGBT advocacy organization. He, like several others on social media, only became aware of the changes by a note on the Citizenship and Immigration website saying new instructions were coming “spring or early summer 2015.” According to Brown, however, those changes are already in place.

The right to self-identify is paramount

“I haven’t heard from anyone else yet who has picked up on the change, nor have I heard of any sort of consultation process regarding the change in requirements, which has been common practice among other governments that have made similar changes in the past,” said Dyck.

Lack of consultation aside, Dyck said the move is a welcome change for transgender Canadians who have not been able to obtain, or do not want to obtain, sex-reassignment surgery.

“The right to self-identify is paramount,” said Dyck.

“Courts and tribunals are coming to the ruling that every person has a right to define their own gender identity that is independent of what their physical body looks like and what kind of transition they’ve gone through.”