Cancun to Offer Free Gender Identity Changes for Transgender Residents in June

Cancun, Quintana Roo — The Benito Juárez municipal government will offer free gender identity and name change procedures during June, Pride Month, with an estimated 80 to 100 people expected to apply, according to local officials.

Nohamy Hermida Nieves, director of the Municipal Diversity Office, said 10 people have already signed up. The city will also organize a collective wedding ceremony for same-sex couples during the month, with details to be announced in an upcoming call for participants.

In an interview, Hermida Nieves said the identity change process is becoming increasingly common, especially among young people. Most applicants are transgender women, but the number of transgender men seeking the change is also rising.

“The identity change has been the key to breaking out of the confines that society places on us,” Hermida Nieves said.

The process involves multiple steps, which can discourage some applicants. The municipal office provides guidance through each required agency.

After obtaining the official identity change from the Civil Registry, individuals must update their information with the Tax Administration Service (SAT), though their tax ID number remains the same. They also need to update their records with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) to reflect the new name on academic certificates.

Many transgender young people request the change as soon as they turn 18, allowing them to update their high school diplomas before entering university with their new name, Hermida Nieves said.

Although the official call has not yet been published, eight transgender women and two transgender men have already registered in anticipation of the free service in June.