Triple J Hack reports:
In a proposal that’s guaranteed to make talkback radio, the Western Australian Law Reform Commission has recommended leaving gender off birth certificates, as well as adding a third official option of non-binary.
Under current laws, children are assigned a gender by their parents before they reach 60 days of age. Critics say this is discriminatory to intersex people, places pressure on parents to nominate a gender, and makes officially changing a gender more arduous, as it means a change of birth certificate.
The commission recommends the birth certificate gender field should be left blank and a classification held on a confidential state register.
The classification would include three options: male, female or non-binary.
A person could apply to the Registrar for a ‘proof of sex certificate’.
Other recommendations include:
- You would not need to undergo a medical procedure to have your gender identity officially recognised
- You could change your gender three times in a lifetime before having to seek the approval of a court
- If you are over 12 but under 18, you could seek to formally change your gender. If you don’t have the permission of your parents, the Family Court would decide.
The WA Law Reform Commission is seeking feedback from the public on these recommended changes. Submissions close on October 19.
Governments around the world are considering reforms to laws governing how the state recognises and records gender.
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/western-australia-may-leave-gender-off-birth-certificates/10180012
