Nevada Residents Can Now Be Legally Recognized as Non-Binary
Nevada just became the 10th state in the U.S. to offer its trans and gender non-conforming residents gender-neutral identification documents.
As of Monday, April 22, Nevadans will be able to apply for state-issued IDs with male ("M"), female ("F"), or gender-neutral ("X") gender markers, reports NBC News.
According to Alexandra Walden, the public information officer for Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the trans-inclusive policy update has been in the works for years. Back in 2016, the state implemented a progressive policy allowing trans people to update their gender markers—choosing between male or female options only—without a court order, doctor's note, or corrected birth certificate.
The idea of self-identification for trans residents will also carry forward for Nevadans seeking gender-neutral IDs, Walden told NBC News.
The Silver State follows nine other states and the District of Columbia in embracing its gender non-conforming residents. States like Arkansas, Maine, and Washington, among others, all offer some form of state-issued identification free from binary gender markers.
However, non-binary people looking to use their gender-neutral IDs in their day-to-day lives continue to face obstacles nationwide. Though some states have offered gender-free IDs for years, the first major airline in the U.S. to offer gender-neutral ticketing options for non-binary fliers with appropriate identification only began to do so last month.
As NewNowNext previously reported, multiple states with gender-neutral ID policies in place have failed to update their marriage license applications accordingly.