After a legal battle that lasted nearly 10 years, the Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation has ruled that transgender people have a legal right to change their name and gender markers on official ID documents.
The case began when a Bulgarian trans woman moved to Italy and, for years, was repeatedly denied the right to change her legal name and gender on her home country’s documents, the Washington Blade reported.
Related
In 2023, the Supreme Court of Cassation also ruled against her. However, things began to shift this past March, when the woman’s case was brought to the highest court of the European Union (EU), which ruled that member states are required to support trans people’s legal gender changes.
The Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation then confirmed in July it will comply with the EU court’s ruling, reportedly declaring, “The rule of law in Bulgaria implies a universal equality of the dignity of all human beings, including transgender people.”
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
And trans advocates are celebrating.
A press release from Transgender Europe (TGEU) published earlier this week said the group was worried the Bulgarian government would not honor the EU court’s ruling, given its “particularly poor track record” of doing so.
“It is a deep relief and a source of satisfaction to see that the system delivers,” said Richard Köhler, the expert advisor and litigation lead for TGEU. “Trans people are equal in dignity and rights… The Bulgarian government must now swiftly start the legislative process with meaningful civil society involvement. A quick, transparent and accessible administrative procedure is overdue for the recognition and respect of trans people in Bulgaria.”
Denitsa Lyubenova, an attorney involved in the cases, added that the decision marks “a long-awaited turning point for trans people in Bulgaria.”
“After years of judicial deadlock,” she continued, “the Supreme Court has affirmed that trans people are equal in dignity and rights and that legal gender recognition cannot be denied because of legislative inaction… I welcome this outcome as proof that strategic litigation can dismantle systemic barriers.”
Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.