Gender transformation: Argentine Senate gives approval

Susana Bustamante's daughter, Melina

The Argentine Senate has on Wednesday, passed a law that allows people to change their gender officially without court approval. The legislation gives people the right to be officially recognised by the gender of their choosing, which may in some cases mean undergoing sex-change surgery. People aged 18 and above will be able to have such an operation or hormone therapy without needing to apply to a judge. Also approved same Wednesday by the Argentine Senate is a "dignified death" law which gives the terminally ill and their families more say in end-of-life decisions. The legislation means patients who are dying or suffering incurable illness or injury can refuse treatment, if there is an existing signed consent form. In cases where patients are unable to speak for themselves, the legislation empowers relatives or legal representatives to make the decision Until now, a court order was needed to end treatment or life support. . Senators voted by 55-0 in favour of the "dignified death" law, with 17 abstentions. The measure had already passed the lower house and it now goes to President Cristina Fernandez to be signed into law. All those present were at pains to stress that the legislation does not allow euthanasia. According to the leader of the Senate's health commission, Jose Cano, the aim is to respect the autonomous will of the patient Susana Bustamante, whose 19-year-old daughter Melina had pleaded to be allowed to die amid the pain from her degenerative condition, welcomed the new law. Melina died last year shortly after making her public appeal. The main condition is that the patient or his representatives have signed a document setting out their wishes, before a notary and two witnesses. The Roman Catholic Church rejected the new legislation, arguing that life support should never be stopped. culled from BBC