Washington birth certificates now offer “X” option

Beginning today, Jan. 29, the Washington State Department of Health is processing applications for a new rule that allows people to change the sex designation on their Washington birth certificate.

The rule adds “X” as an approved sex designation option, removes the requirement for medical attestation for adults making a request, and expands the list of licensed health care professionals who can attest to the gender change for minors.

The Department of Health makes about 50,000 changes to vital records each year — including changes to the child’s name and parents’ names — and has seen a steady increase in sex designation requests from male to female and female to male. In 2017, the department processed 286 sex designation requests, more than double the 105 requests in 2015.

Earlier this week, Secretary of Health John Wiesman discussed the rule change on New Day Northwest (video).

“For about 10 years we’ve allowed people to change the gender or the sex on the birth certificate. We had some individuals approach us and say ‘we don’t identify as either as male or female as gender and we would like to have a third option.’ So we determined that is something we should pursue, and we opened up a public rule making process to consider that.” (Washington state law does not distinguish a difference between “sex” and “gender.”)

After receiving and considering about 1,000 public comments, the department adopted the rule recognizing that having a birth certificate that reflects a person’s gender identity is important for health equity. Allowing a sex designation change on the birth certificate means people are less likely to be challenged when they provide their birth certificate as proof of identity. More substantially, the rule may help those who are gender diverse from experiencing negative health outcomes, lower education achievement, lack of employment and housing, and physical and emotional injury.

“We think this is a health issue about helping them live their authentic lives and say that, yes, you’re a full part of society and supporting them being healthy human beings,” said Wiesman.

In an editorial this week, Why ‘X’ is now an option for gender on birth certificates (Crosscut.com), Secretary Wiesman clarified that minors will still be required to have parent or guardian consent and an attestation from a health or mental health provider.

“Changing the sex designation on the birth certificate is a significant decision that minors may not be ready to make on their own. Involving parents or guardians and health providers in the decision helps ensure that the impacts of making the change, both positive and negative, are carefully considered.”

The Sex Designation Change request form is available for download now, and the department will begin processing them immediately.