Nova Scotia to offer ‘X’ as gender option on birth certificates

People born in Nova Scotia will soon have the option of having an X placed in the gender identity space on their birth certificate.

Amendments to the Vital Statistics Act were recently announced that would allow people to have the M of F replaced with an X

Service Nova Scotia Minister Geoff Maclellan said this will enable people who don’t iden- tify exclusively as male or female to more accurately reflect their gender identity. The fee to change the sex indicator on a birth certificate will also be waived.

A child’s sex will still be registered as M or F at the time of birth

“The proposed changes take many important steps toward meeting the needs of Nova Scotians who do not wish to be identified by sex,” said Shae Morse, a non-binary teacher and commun- ity advocate. “Providing Nova Scotians with additional options to identify themselves or their children removes a significant barrier facing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. While there is work left to do to remove barriers for our community, passage of this legislation will truly be worth celebrating.”

X is already included as a choice on certificates in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Al- berta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Saskatchewan and Ontario have the option to not display the sex field on the birth certificate. The federal government uses X on passports. Additional amendments

include:

– removing the requirement for anyone 16 years of age and older to get a statement from a professional to change the sex indicator on their birth certificate;

– providing Nova Scotia residents born outside the province with a means of getting documentation that reflects their gender identity;

– allowing parents the same rights to register the birth of their child with any surname of their choice.

The changes are expected to come into effect in January 2019.