Executive Summary: The Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference issued a statement on March 13, 2026, that reproduces false information about Ruling 4-24-CN/26. Trans organizations document three serious factual errors generating unnecessary social alarm.
What the Ruling Does NOT Establish
Since Friday, March 13, three claims have circulated that do not appear in the ruling text:
| Error | What They Claim | What the Ruling Actually Says |
|---|---|---|
| Sex change | “The ruling allows changing sex” | Only rectifies the gender marker. Article 94 of LOGIDC mentions both terms, but the Court deliberately limited analysis to gender |
| Minimum age | “From age 12 without conditions” | Does not establish a minimum age. Requires: parental accompaniment, psychosocial report, and maturity determination |
| Automatic process | “Free, automatic and irreversible decision” | Three concurrent mandatory requirements. Not automatic |
Who is Spreading the Misinformation
The Episcopal statement from March 13, the call for a protest on March 18, and statements by Assembly Member Diana Jácome repeat these errors without factual verification.
Organizations’ Position
We celebrate the ruling as real progress, but note its structural limitations: the psychosocial report creates an economic and pathologizing barrier, and parental accompaniment may veto adolescents without family support.
We do not defend a perfect ruling. We defend the truth about what it says.
Signed: Ecuadorian Federation of LGBT+ Organizations, National Trans Platform – CoaliTrans, Quito Coalition, Resistencia Rosa
Quito/Guayaquil, March 16, 2026