Madrid

In a historic move, lawmakers in Spain passed a transgender rights bill on Thursday permitting people above the age of 16 to change the gender on their ID card, legislation which has left the feminist movement and left-wing government of Spain divided.

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The bill which received 188 votes in favour and 150 against as well as seven abstentions, will now go to the Senate, where if it remains unchanged, it will take the form of a law in weeks.

With this move, Spain will become one of the few countries in the world that permits transgender citizens to change their gender on the ID card with a simple declaration. 

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As per the draft bill, the procedure for changing the gender status on the national identity card of a person will be simplified, permitting people to simply file a request for a change on the basis of a simple statement.

After the request is submitted, the applicant needs to confirm the request three months later, after which it becomes valid.

However, the draft bill's text has ensued a bitter quarrel between LGBTQ equality campaigners and activists in the powerful feminist lobby of Spain.

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The legislation regarding transgender rights is among the Podemos-held equality ministry's flagship projects. Podemos is Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist-led coalition's radical left-wing junior partner. 

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"At last this law depathologises trans lives and guarantees trans people's rights," Equality Minister Irene Montero stated while speaking in the parliament during debate on Wednesday.

"Trans women are women," the minister added, who has strongly advocated gender self-identification and has denounced any opposition as "transphobia". 

(With inputs from agencies)