A veteran Guardia Civil officer in Mallorca has taken advantage of the new "Transgender Law" and has declared himself a woman. This is an unprecedented change of gender on the island and the Palma Guardia Civil headquarters where he is stationed has been informed of his new status so that the necessary protocols can be put in place.
The change of gender of the officer - now a woman - was started a few months ago and commanders "have only been processing the information that the officer has given them, mainly what now appears on the Civil Registry. That is to say, "commanders neither authorise nor prevent this change of gender".
A new national law for "real and effective equality for trans people" came into force in Spain last year, allowing a person to change gender identity in the civil register without undergoing a two-year hormonal treatment or obtaining a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, as required by previous legislation.