(Image right via Facebook)

Following a historic referendum in favor of same-sex marriage last month, the Irish government announced on Tuesday that transgender people will no longer have to rely on testimony from psychiatrists or endocrinologists to have their gender recognized by the state, reports The Journal.

Under the Gender Recognition Bill, for the purpose of updating passports, driving licenses, new birth certificates and marriage, changes of gender will be effected by a “statutory declaration” for those over the age of 18.

Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) chair Sara Phillips said:

“This is a momentous moment. To be given the respect to self-determine our gender is true equality. For once I can believe our community are seen as full equal citizens. Today I am so proud of our country.”

A section of the bill requiring married transgender people to either get divorced or not have their gender recognized has also been dropped.

In February, Pope Francis compared the idea that gender identities can exist along a spectrum to the destructiveness of nuclear weaponry.

Watch TENI’s report on the on the Gender Recognition Bill 2014, AFTER THE JUMP…