transheadlinesOrganization heralds streamlined process for amending gender designation on Maine birth certificates, including addition of X marker option
Trans and nonbinary people, along with parents of newborn babies, are now able to have a nonbinary designation on a birth certificate. Those who are at least 18 years old or are emancipated minors can request the necessary forms to submit the gender change too. If the person is younger, then parental or legal consent is required. With that, their birth record can then show their appropriate gender marker via a notarized attestation, without the requirement of a medical affidavit or court order.
The new Maine Department of Health and Human Services rule that went into effect today removes pointless barriers to amending gender markers on birth certificates, giving people a choice to choose an X marker designation, instead of the typical binary F or M.
According to GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the rule also “provides for the option of an X marker, allowing for more accurate records for individuals who do not identify as exclusively female or male, including those who may identify as nonbinary or intersex.”
“This is an important development for people across Maine who simply want to live their lives as who they are and avoid the barriers created legally and socially from inaccurate gender markers on official identification,” said Mary L. Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director at GLAD. “Birth records are a critically important means for personal identification.
“The change to a simpler administrative process for amending gender markers and the inclusion of an X marker to recognize a range of gender identities are both in line with the approach taken in a growing number of states, as well as other Maine agencies including the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. These changes also reflect the recommendations of authoritative medical and other professionals, including the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, who understand that diverse gender identities and expressions are normal and positive variations of human experience.”
The roll-out of the finalized rule follows a process that included a public hearing in March and a public comment period this spring, in which GLAD participated, and will apply to amend gender markers on other important records including marriage and death certificates.
Individuals seeking additional information or assistance in amending gender markers on identification documents can reach out to the ID Project, operated by GLAD, Ropes & Gray, and Goodwin. The ID Project pairs transgender individuals across New England with attorneys offering free and confidential assistance with gender marker and name changes.
For monetary assistance amending birth certificates, Driver Licenses, and other forms, please contact Project Out. Check out the official FAQ below.
Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLAD works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.
[From a News Release And Excerpts From Staff]
