By Rebeca Dorna | Communications
The following true story is another example of the legal needs that we address – and serves as our report on how your support through GlobalGiving continues to have an impact.
Jane[1], a transgender woman, approached Puerto Rico Legal Services seeking to adjust her legal identity to her real one, since her vital documents are under the name of Juan, the name under which she was registered when she was born.
After living in the United States, where she underwent her sex change procedure, Jane arrived in Puerto Rico encountering obstacles in obtaining government services, in this case public housing. For her, it was necessary to prove her new identity as a trans woman whenever any public or private agency requested it.
Her request was to change her name and be recognized as a female person in the Puerto Rico Demographic Registry, so she sought a judicial resolution to prove the appropriateness and legality of her new identity.
Service Center in the city of Ponce filed a petition for the name change with the local Court of First Instance.
In the resolution issued by the Court, it sided with Jane. The state Demographic Registry was ordered to make the name change and to note the gender change in the margin of the original registration. The court recognized that "...the petitioner has an interest, based on reasons of dignity, aesthetics, personal needs, as well as needs of an administrative nature, since the existing incongruence between her male first name and her female gender identity causes her serious problems with her personal documents and in her daily life, as well as affecting her right to privacy and her dignity as a human being".
With the conclusion of this proceeding, Jane obtained the equal protection of the laws and human dignity guaranteed in the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
We thank you for your continued support. Visit our website servicioslegales.org, or our social media channels to keep up to date of PRLS’ response to our critical client needs.
[1] Jane’s name is being withheld to protect her privacy.
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