N.Y. law allows ‘X’ for sex on documents

ALBANY, N.Y. — New Yorkers will be able to designate their sex as “female,” “male” or “X” on driver’s licenses and birth certificates under a law that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Thursday.

Nonbinary New Yorkers sued in March arguing that the state was discriminating against them by failing to provide the “X” option to indicate nonbinary, intersex, undesignated or other. The new law will take effect in 180 days.

New Yorkers will no longer have to publish their name changes, addresses, birth places and birth dates in a newspaper, which the previous law requires, within 60 days of a name change. They could also ask to seal sex designation papers because of the risk of violence or discrimination.

The bill’s supporters said it’s too hard for transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, and intersex New Yorkers to obtain accurate ID documents needed to access health care, employment, travel, housing and education.