California Gov. Jerry Brown singed ground-breaking legislation on Monday that creates a “gender neutral” option on state documents.
The bill, authored by San Diego-area Sen. Toni Atkins, creates a third gender marker on state-issued identification documents for people who identify as nonbinary or intersex.
“I want to thank Gov. Brown for recognizing how difficult it can be for our transgender, nonbinary and intersex family members, friends and neighbors when they don’t have an ID that matches their gender presentation,” said Atkins, a Democrat who represents the 39th District.
Senate Bill 179, known as the Gender Recognition Act, would make California the second state in the nation after Oregon to allow residents to be identified by a gender marker other than “F” or “M” on their driver’s license and the first to allow a nonbinary gender marker on birth certificates.
It will make it easier for transgender, nonbinary and intersex residents to apply for a gender change from state agencies and the courts. For example, it removes an outdated requirement that applicants submit a physician’s letter stating that they have undergone appropriate medical treatment.
The legislation was jointly authored by Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, who said that with the governor’s signing, “California continues its fight for a more inclusive society, even as some in Washington continue to undermine the LGBTQ community. ”
