New Jersey driver’s licenses and identification cards are adding an “X” gender option.
Gender “X” will indicate a gender that is unspecified and will be offered alongside the existing “M” for male and “F” for female options on IDs and licenses, according to a statement from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
The commission said the new option is offered not only to residents who “identify as non-binary” but for anyone who prefers not to specify gender on identification cards. People who want to make a change to the gender marker on a card have to fill out a form and pay an $11 fee.
“Diversity and inclusion are core values for New Jersey and for all of us at the MVC. We know this new option will be deeply impactful for many residents, as access to resources and the ability to live and work freely so often hinges on having documentation that correctly reflects your identity,” MVC Chief Administrator Sue Fulton said.
MARYLAND VOTER REGISTRATION WILL ALLOW ‘X’ or ‘UNSPECIFIED’ FOR GENDER IDENTITY
Christian Fuscarino, the executive director of Garden State Equality, commended the announcement, saying, “This option will allow New Jerseyans, particularly nonbinary and intersex people, to enjoy a right many of us take for granted.”
The implementation for residents to choose the gender “X” option was slated for late 2020 but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Nineteen states, as well as Washington, D.C., allow some form of nonbinary or gender “X” option on IDs or licenses, according to LGBTQmap.org.
