State considering adding gender X on birth certificates

Proposed change would allow designation other than male or female

The state Department of Health will hold a public hearing Tuesday at 1 p.m. to discuss a proposed change to sex designation on birth certificates, which would add an “X” designation along with the existing male and female designations.

The Dept. of Health filed the proposed rule Oct. 31. Along with adding the “X” designation, it installs a process that would allow minors to change their sex designation on their birth certificate. The proposed rule would apply only to amendments made to birth certificates after the original record is completed at the time of birth. The “X” designation indicates a gender that is not exclusively male or female, including, but not limited to, intersex, agender, amalgagender, androgynous, bigender, demigender, male-to-female, genderfluid, gender-queer, female to male, neutrois, nonbinary, pangender, third sex, transgender, transsexual, Two Spirit, and unspecified, according to the Dept. of Health’s rule change proposal.

The hearing will take place in the Point Plaza East building at 310 Israel Road SE in Tumwater, room 152/153. You can also view the hearing at tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2017121006. You can’t provide input on the hearing itself, but email comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. at genderchangerulemaking@doh.wa.gov.