Canada: Transgender 12-year-old granted new birth certificate

Jun 18 2014
Written by Nick Duffy

A transgender 12-year-old in Alberta has been awarded a new birth certificate, marking the first recognition of a trans person in the province without surgery.

Alberta law previously stated that trans people must have reassignment surgery before their gender can be legally recognised – while simultaneously stating people must be 18 before they are eligible for reassignment surgery – leaving trans youth locked out entirely.

12-year-old Wren Kauffman was initially denied the certificate last year, leading him and his family to file a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

However, after a judge ruled that the surgery requirement was unlawful, Kauffman was finally able to receive his new birth certificate on Sunday.

He was presented with his new certificate by Alberta culture minister Heather Klimchuk, during a Pride month event.

Kauffman said last year: “If you’re not yourself, then it kind of gets sad and depressing… I’m glad that I told everybody.”

Two years ago, Ontario was the first province in Canada to scrap the requirement, which the trans community say harms people who are unable or unwilling to have surgery.

Earlier this week, the American Medical Association called on states to stop requiring trans people to undergo surgery before recognising their legal gender.

Last week, Denmark removed the requirement that trans people be sterilised before they were eligible to be recognised as their preferred gender.

Watch the clip below: