Lower House passes Gender Identity, 'Dignified Death' bills

The Lower House granted preliminary approval to the Gender Identity and “Dignified Death” bills and sent them to the Upper House floor, where senators will continue to debate them. 

The bill that authorizes the so-called “dignified death” was passed by 142 lawmakers who voted in favour. Six of them voted against it.

The bill authorizes a patient to decide, after being informed of their situation, which medical treatments they wish to undergo and which they wish to reject.

Earlier, the Lower House passed the much-debated Gender Identity bill, which allows citizens to officially change their name and sexual identity if they wish to do so, without the need to request for a special permission in court.

The bill, drafted after four different bills coming from four caucuses in the Lower House, enables transvestites and transsexuals to officially change their name and gender identity no matter what their biological sex is.

As it became clear that the bill would be preliminary approved, human rights activists and members of several homosexual, transvestite and transsexual rights organizations cheered as lawmakers voted in favour.

The Lower House remained in session and would continue to debate other controversial issues such as the Assisted Fertilization bill and the crimes against a minor's integrity bill.