Creating Gender X on Cambridge Birth Certificates

City of Cambridge O-1 IN CITY COUNCIL January 7, 2019 MAYOR MCGOVERN COUNCILLOR SIMMONS COUNCILLOR MALLON COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI WHEREAS: On January 1, 2019, a new law took effect in New York City that allows residents and parents to indicate a third gender category “X” on birth certificates, allowing transgender and gender non-binary people born in that City to amend their birth certificates without having to go through burdensome medical and administrative barriers; and WHEREAS: New York City joins the states of Oregon, California, Washington and New Jersey in offering a third gender category on birth certificates, granting residents more control in defining for the government who they are and affirming their humanity and dignity; and WHEREAS: Cambridge strives to be a welcoming community to all—including our transgender and gender non-binary friends and neighbors—a goal that the Council can advance by joining other jurisdictions in offering a third gender category and removing barriers for residents born in this city to amend their birth certificates; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Solicitor be and hereby is requested to draft a home rule petition to the state legislature that would allow the City of Cambridge to begin to offer a third gender category “X” on birth certificates, and to collaborate with the LGBTQ+ Commission on this effort.