A new proposal supported by the mayor and city council speaker would allow people who were born in New York City to select a third gender known as “X” on their birth certificate.
“This groundbreaking legislation will make New York City birth certificates more inclusive for all and will send a powerful signal to the world that New York City government works for everyone,” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said during a press conference, according to the New York Post.
A hearing on the proposal is set for July, with a vote in September, the newspaper reported. Johnson called the third gender a “non-binary” choice.
Three states — California, Washington and Oregon – also allow people to choose a third gender on their birth certificates.
Already, parents of newborns who don’t want a gender on their child’s birth certificate can place asterisks in the gender category until the child is old enough to choose a gender.
Newborns whose parents don’t want to enter a gender would continue under the current system of being documented with four asterisks as a placeholder until their kids are old enough to choose for themselves.
Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.
Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/RedlineVector
Publication date: June 6, 2018
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