Dozens of people belonging to religious groups gathered this Wednesday in a plaza in the center of Guayaquil to protest a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court of Ecuador. According to protest spokespeople, at that age, the human brain has not yet completed its development to make decisions of such magnitude. The ruling's requirements Until recently, Ecuadorian law stipulated that the rectification of sex or gender could only be requested upon reaching the age of majority. The judicial ruling now allows adolescents to change their gender on their identity documents, as long as they meet specific requirements. Under the slogan "Don't mess with my kids," demonstrators stated that the magistrates have exceeded their functions by forcing the Civil Registry to process these changes for minors. However, the high court determined that said requirement is unconstitutional if the application is presented by an adolescent who has: The accompaniment of their legal representatives. Psychosocial reports that accredit a sufficient degree of maturity. A free, informed, and voluntary decision about their gender identity. This case originated from a protection action filed by the parents of a 15-year-old, who had been denied the change by the Civil Registry in 2023, arguing that they had to wait until they were 18. Criticisms and concerns for childhood Former assemblywoman Geraldine Weber warned that this decision violates the rights of children and could encourage the use of hormones and irreversible procedures. Although the Constitutional Court's ruling is final, citizen collectives assured that they will maintain the mobilizations in the streets to show their firm rejection of what they consider an ideological imposition on biological identity.
