The US state of Maine has officially introduced a non-binary option to state residents’ birth certificates, which was announced onInternational Non-Binary People’s Day on Tuesday, July 14. Those who identify outside of the gender binary can now receive gender-neutral birth certificates on request, with parental permission required for citizens under 18 who wish to make this alteration to their birth documents.
After the amendment process has been completed, an ‘X’ will be displayed on the resident’s birth certificate, denoting gender neutral status. Maine made this non-binary marker available on driving licences in 2018, and the year after it was made possible for state citizens to alter their gender marker without approval from a medical professional.
Colorado was the first state to introduce the third gender option on birth certificates, and the move has since lead to ten more states – and now Maine – allowing for a gender-neutral option on birth certificates.
Gia Drew, programme director for the LGBTQ+ rights group Equality Maine, described this change as ‘really exciting’ and added ‘these changes will really make a significant difference’.
Equality Maine has previously highlighted that ‘living with identity documents that do not match up with who they are creates enormous difficulties and discrimination,’ and has stated its mission is ‘to secure full equality for the LGBTQ+ community’. The new birth certificate policy has already been implemented, and this change in legislation marks a milestone for the non-binary and transgender community living in the region.
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