Society, the State, and Recognition of the Right to a Self-Perceived Gender Identity

In recent years formal and informal initiatives aimed at recognizing the rights of people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities have carved out an important place on the global geopolitical stage, advanced through dissection, debate, and reformulation of diverse national and international experiences. These initiatives have been combined creatively and effectively both to facilitate their inclusion in a common body of law and their dissemination throughout the international human rights system. Argentina has played a central role in this regard. This work reviews the struggle for recognition of the rights of transgender persons. It emphasizes the democratic nature of such struggle. Subsequently, it explores the general context in Latin America regarding acceptance of the gender depathologization paradigm, and concludes with some brief final reflections.