Suddenly Obama’s declaration that people of the same sex should be allowed to marry seems a little stale. Argentina has just approved a gender rights bill that will allow all adult citizens to change their legal sex at will — without undergoing surgery or hormone replacement therapy.

Moreover, sex-change surgery now becomes a legal right – as treatments to make physical changes to their appearance in keeping with a sex change will be fully covered by health care providers, both public and private.

Which means that gender can be taken up without any physical requirements attached to it – which is sort of unheard-of.

Underage folk will be able to avail of the same rights, with parental consent. The bill’s headed to President Cristina Fernandez’ desk for final rubber-stamping; the president has already given public support for the bill.

Said openly gay Argentinian legislator Sen. Osvaldo Lopez:

This law is going to enable many of us to have light, to come out of the darkness, to appear. There are many people in our country who also deserve the power to exist.

Nice job, Argentina.

[Source: Mercury News]