The UK government has shot down any plans to include non-binary as a legal gender identity via the Gender Recognition Act (GRA).
In a statement from the Cabinet Office, the government said that including non-binary as a gender within the GRA would result in a string of complexities.
“The Government noted that there were complex practical consequences for other areas of the law, service provision and public life if provision were to be made for non-binary gender recognition in the GRA,” the UK government said.
“In UK law individuals are considered to be the sex that is registered on their birth certificate – either male or female.
“The GRA provides a means for transgender people to change the sex on their birth certificate, but there is currently no provision for those who do not identify as male or female.”
This statement comes after more than 130,00 people signed a petition urging the government to make the inclusive addition.
“By recognising non-binary as a valid gender identity, it would aid in the protection of non-binary individuals against transphobic hate crimes and would ease gender dysphoria experienced by non-binary people,” the petition said.
Over the years, LGBTQ+ activists have fought for reforms regarding the Gender Recognition Act as a whole.
During a reform consultation of the GRA in 2018, 58% of people thought that non-binary people should be included in the legislation.
The legal inclusion of a non-binary as a gender has been practiced in an array of countries and territories.
According to Equal Recognition, Denmark, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal allow citizens to be recognised as non-binary on legal documents.
Parts of Canada and the U.S. also offer an ‘X’ option for non-binary residents to identify as.
Since the petition has over 100,000 signatures the request must be considered for a debate in Parliament. The government has till early June to schedule a date.
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