New York

New ‘X' Gender Option Added to NYC Birth Certificates

The legislation will also allow transgender people to change the gender on their birth certificates without needing a doctor's approval.

What to Know

  • New York City will allow people who don't identify as male or female to change the gender designation on their birth certificates to 'X'
  • The legislation will also allow transgender people to change the gender on their birth certificates without needing a doctor's approval
  • Parents will also be able to choose the non-binary 'X' for their newborns' birth certificates, all in an effort to make NYC more inclusive

New York City will allow people who don't identify as male or female to change the gender designation on their birth certificates to "X."

The legislation adopted Wednesday will also allow transgender people to change the gender on their birth certificates without an affidavit from a doctor or mental health professional. And it will allow parents to choose the non-binary "X'' for their newborns' birth certificates.

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a Democrat, said the gender-designation bill is part of making New York a more inclusive city. He said gender "is a spectrum for many people. It's not a fixed thing."

Mayor de Blasio is expected to sign the bill. It will go into effect on Jan. 1.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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