Sunday, September 29, 2013
Six-year-old becomes first transgender child in Argentina to change identity
A six-year-old girl, who was born a boy, has become the first transgender child in Argentina to have her new name officially changed on her identity documents.
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Lulu, a six-year-old Argentine child who was listed as a boy at birth, has been granted new identification papers by the Buenos Aires provincial government listing her as a girl. Photo: REUTERS
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Luana, known as Lulu, is believed to be the youngest to benefit from the country’s new Gender Identity Law, which was approved in May 2012. The act enshrines the right to be identified by name and sex as defined by the individual.
As a result, the governor of Buenos Aires, Daniel Scioli, approved Lulu’s application to change her name from Manuel on her DNI, the Argentinian identity card, and birth certificate.
"The government of the province of Buenos Aires has decided to provide a solution to this particular case raised by the family," Alberto Perez, chief of staff, said, according to La Nacion.
The decision was made after Lulu’s mother, Gabriela, wrote to Mr Scioli as well as Argentinian president Cristina Kirchner. She said her daughter identified herself as a girl as soon as she started talking.
"By accepting that my son was not the son I gave birth to, but a girl, I accepted her identity and put myself at her side," said Gabriela, from Greater Buenos Aires.
Lulu, who has a twin brother, was refused the request last December because of her age. But the Children, Youth and Family Secretary ruled children under 14 were capable of giving consent and cited international human rights in overturning the decision.
Argentinian reports suggested it was the first time anywhere in the world that a transgender child had been able to change their identity through an administrative process without resorting to the courts.
Alfredo Grande, one of the psychologists involved in the case, told Folha de Sao Paulo: “The DNI is like a mirror. If a person doesn’t identify themselves there, it’s not good.
“It was an important fight that we won.”
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