New York eases birth certificate gender policy
ALBANY— New York state will no longer require transgender people to offer proof of surgery when they ask to change the gender on their birth certificate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration announced Thursday, though the change won’t apply to certificates issue in New York City.
The state’s Department of Health will now issue revised birth certificates if people submit affidavits from medical providers stating they have received treatment for gender dysphoria. The change had long been sought by transgender advocates who said the old policy made it hard for transgender people to get jobs, enroll in school or apply for government benefits because their birth certificate didn’t match their identity.
“This is significant news for many New Yorkers who remain vulnerable without matching identification documents,” said Dru Levasseur, transgender rights project director at Lambda Legal. “… Having accurate documentation is necessary to people’s lives, from employment to school to housing. These policy changes will have a real impact.”