Newborn baby to be registered 'gender unknown' because its mum insists only the child can decide what sex it wants to be
A parent is demanding that their baby should be the world's first child to be registered as "gender unknown" on its birth certificate. Kori Doty, who identifies as a "non-binary trans person", is insisting that Canadian authorities issue a non-gendered birth certificate for their 8-month-old child.
As a non-binary trans person, Doty, who has a moustache, claims to be neither male nor female and wants the same for baby Searyl Atli who was born last November. Doty prefers to be referred to as "they" rather than “he” or “she” and told CBC they are raising Searyl in the same way "until they have the sense of self and command of vocabulary to tell me who they are.”
Doty added: “I’m recognising them as a baby and trying to give them all the love and support to be the most whole person that they can be outside of the restrictions that come with the boy box and the girl box.”
Baby Saeryl already has health cards issued with the gender specified as "undetermined", but in spite of Doty's efforts to get British Columbia to issue the child with a birth certificate that has no gender specification, authorities have refused to grant that.
Doty said: “When I was born, doctors looked at my genitals and made assumptions about who I would be, and those assignments followed me and followed my identification throughout my life. Those assumptions were incorrect, and I ended up having to do a lot of adjustments since then.”
Doty’s lawyer says British Columbia only issues birth documents which have a male or female designation. The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal is helping Doty fight to get all government documents to accommodate non-gendered people. Another Canadian province, Ontario, says it is reviewing its policies to include non-binary genders, however, critics claim such children could become a target for bullies or discrimination.
As a non-binary trans person, Doty, who has a moustache, claims to be neither male nor female and wants the same for baby Searyl Atli who was born last November. Doty prefers to be referred to as "they" rather than “he” or “she” and told CBC they are raising Searyl in the same way "until they have the sense of self and command of vocabulary to tell me who they are.”
Doty added: “I’m recognising them as a baby and trying to give them all the love and support to be the most whole person that they can be outside of the restrictions that come with the boy box and the girl box.”
Baby Saeryl already has health cards issued with the gender specified as "undetermined", but in spite of Doty's efforts to get British Columbia to issue the child with a birth certificate that has no gender specification, authorities have refused to grant that.
Doty said: “When I was born, doctors looked at my genitals and made assumptions about who I would be, and those assignments followed me and followed my identification throughout my life. Those assumptions were incorrect, and I ended up having to do a lot of adjustments since then.”
Doty’s lawyer says British Columbia only issues birth documents which have a male or female designation. The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal is helping Doty fight to get all government documents to accommodate non-gendered people. Another Canadian province, Ontario, says it is reviewing its policies to include non-binary genders, however, critics claim such children could become a target for bullies or discrimination.
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