On Tuesday, ten transgender Colombians became the first to get IDs under newly adopted rules giving the South American country one of the world's most progressive gender identity codes.
Vice-Minister of Justice Ana María Ramos with people who received new IDs in today's ceremony.
The rules, which took effect on Friday, make Colombia just one of four countries in the Americas and Europe that allow people to change their legal gender by simply filing a declaration.
Most other countries that allow for people to change their legal gender require a doctor to sign-off on the requests. Many also require people to undergo sterilization or other procedures before they can change their documentation. Twenty-three European countries, including Russia, Norway, and Italy, have laws requiring proof of sterilization on the books, though a recent ruling from the European Court of Human Rights challenging a Turkish law lays the groundwork for overturning them.
Since Argentina became the first country to allow people to change their legal gender through self-declaration in 2012, this has become the new gold standard for laws supported by transgender rights activists. Denmark and Malta adopted similar laws within the past year, and Ireland seems poised to follow suit.
Now trans Colombians can simply file a declaration with a notary and have their documentation changed.
El Notario explica el trámite y felicita a cada solicitante. Acaban con aplauso y alguien grita: ¡IMPARABLE!
Congresswoman and LGBT rights activists Angélica Lozano tweeted this photo with the caption, "The notary explains the process and congratulates each applicant. This ended with applause and someone shouted, "Unstoppable!"
"To request a change of gender, no additional documents will be required other than identification and an affidavit #IDecide," tweeted Colombia's Ministry of Justice.
Para solicitar cambio de género no se exigirá documentación adicional a los documentos de identidad y la declaración juramentada #YoDecido
The rules limit people to changing their legal gender twice over their lifetimes, and at least ten years must pass between requests.
The Ministry of Justice also tweeted this picture of two people holding a sign that says, "Order #1227 recognizes how our identity is constructed."
La solicitud de cambio de género en los documentos de identidad solo se podrá hacer una vez cada 10 años #YoDecido
"#EqualityIsUnstoppable," tweeted Lozano with this picture outside the notary's office where the ceremony took place.
#LaIgualdadEsImparable!
The decree followed a campaign under the banner of #AquelarreTrans (#TransCoven), the name of a trans rights group that circulated pictures like these on social media.
"If I need to be perceived as a sick person to recognized my gender identity in my ID, where are my rights to human dignity and the free development of my personality?"
"That trans people can't adjust our gender in our ID is already a violation of our freedom and our right to develop freely."
"The letters that show up in the ID don't define me as a person. [These letters] don't recognize my construction. They are a big barrier to access to health, work and education."