In the fall, City Council announced a new bill that would allow people to declare the gender-neutral ‘X’ on their birth certificates, within NYC’s five boroughs. As of the New Year it is officially
Backed by Mayor de Blasio, the new legislation not only has the non-binary identity option on birth certificates for those who do not identify as solely male or female, but will also make it easier for transgender people in the city to change the sex listed on their birth certificates. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson—who introduced the bill—said in a statement that this legislation will make “New York birth certificates more inclusive for all and will send a powerful signal to the world that New York City government works for everyone.”
Now that the law has gone into effect, transgender New Yorkers born in NYC are be able to submit an affidavit requesting a gender-identity change without needing a letter from their physician or health care provider. Under the new legislation parents can also choose the “X” option for their newborns.
Executive Director of the Intersex and Genderqueer Recognition Project, Toby Adams, told The Daily Beast back in September that “passing this bill in New York City increases our chances in New York State and other East Coast jurisdictions.”
The legislation officially went into effect on Tuesday, January 1.