Germany set to create a third gender for official forms that will allow people to classify as 'diverse'

Germany is set to create a third gender for official records
Wagner Mayer/EPA
Sophie Williams15 August 2018

Germany is set to create a third gender for official records that will allow people to classify themselves as "diverse."

In November, authorities were ordered to create a third identity or scrap gender entries altogether after the Federal Constitutional Court decided that people should be allowed to be entered in records as neither male nor female.

The minister for families, Franziska Giffey said it was an "important step towards the legal recognition of people whose gender identity is neither male nor female."

The move comes following a court case in which a plaintiff sought unsuccessfully to have their entry in the birth register changed from "female" to "inter diverse" or "diverse".

They provided courts with a genetic analysis showing one X chromosome but no second sex chromosome. Women have two X chromosomes, while men have one X and one Y chromosome.

The court then recommended that authorities allowed people in a similar situation to choose "another positive designation of their sex that is not make or female."

Earlier this year Canada announced that it would recognise third gender options. Canadians are able to self-identify on government surveys and forms.

While Taiwan is planning to allow a third gender on household registration and national ID cards.

Taiwanese passport holders will also be able to include a non-specified gender on their passport too, according to Pink News.

Additional reporting by AP

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