title: Towards full citizenship: correlates of engagement with the gender identity law among transwomen in Argentina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In May 2012, Argentina passed its "Gender Identity" Law, which aimed to address the legal invisibility, discrimination and marginalization that transgender individuals have historically faced. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with engagement with the Gender Identity Law among transwomen living in Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from a 2013 nationwide, cross-sectional study involving transwomen in Argentina. Using multivariate logistic regression, we assessed the prevalence and factors associated with acquiring a gender-congruent identity card within the first 18 months of enactment of the Gender Identity Law.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 452 transwomen, 260 (57.5%) reported that they had obtained a new gender-congruent identity card. In multivariate analysis, factors positively associated with acquiring a new ID were: previously experiencing discrimination by healthcare workers (adjusted odd ratio [aOR] = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.27-3.20); having engaged in transition procedures (aOR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.58-5.93); and having a job other than sex work (aOR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.06-3.10). Foreign born transwomen were less likely to have obtained a new ID (aOR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.33).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than half of transwomen in our sample acquired a new gender-congruent ID within the first 18 months of enactment of the Gender Identity Law. However, access to and uptake of this right has been heterogeneous. In particular, our findings suggest that the most empowered transwomen may have been among the first to take advantage of this right. Although educational level, housing conditions, HIV status and sex work were not associated with the outcome, foreign-born status was a strong negative correlate of new ID acquisition. Therefore, additional efforts should be made in order to ensure that benefits of this founding policy reach all transwomen in Argentina.
authors.affiliation: Fundación Huésped, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Socías
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brandon D L
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: Fundación Huésped, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arístegui
authors.affiliation: Fundación Huésped, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zalazar
authors.affiliation: Association of Transvestites, Transsexuals, and Transgenders of Argentina (A.T.T.T.A.), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Fundación Huésped, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sued
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kerr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063106:Transgender Persons / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult