Washington Adds 3rd Sex Option On Birth Certificates

OLYMPIA, WA - Washington will allow residents to choose a third gender option on birth certificates starting Jan. 27. Option "X" will stand for a variety of non-binary gender identities, according to the state Department of Health.

In addition to male and female, X is defined as "a gender that is not exclusively male or female, including, but not limited to, intersex, agender, amalgagender, androgynous, bigender, demigender, female-to-male, genderfluid, genderqueer, male-to-female, neutrois, nonbinary, pangender, third sex, transgender, transsexual, Two Spirit, and unspecified."

The state health department began studying offering the X option in August. The rule was open to public comment twice: between September and October, and during a public hearing in December.

The X option is for anyone of any age who wants to change gender identity. Adults will no longer have to provide medical proof to change a birth certificate. Minors, however, will need parental consent and medical proof from a doctor.

Read more about the new birth certificate option here.

Caption: Destin Cramer, second right, embraces friends from the school's Gender Awareness Group as they pose for a photo at the opening of a gender neutral bathroom at Nathan Hale high school Tuesday, May 17, 2016, in Seattle. From left are Jakob Ainsworth, Honour Beattie, Zack Bebout, Cramer and Deena Kennedy.

Photo by Elaine Thompson/Associated Press