Minnesota's Now Offering a Third 'X' Gender Option on Driver's Licenses

Ferlon Webster Jr. | October 4, 2018
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Remember when there were just two gender options when filling out your license applications? Well that “trend” is no longer in style. 

In Minnesota, if you no longer believe you are a male or female, a solution to your dilemma has been provided - you can now be “X." Yes, Minnesotans now have the option to define their own gender as “X," meaning they're "non-binary" or don’t consider themselves to be “confined” to the male or female options that have been historically available.

The state’s Department of Public Safety said in a statement that "the third gender option is in line with other self-reported descriptions, such as weight, height and eye color, and allows it to better serve all Minnesotans. Federal regulation allows the change,” according to MPR News.

The change to the Minnesota license is not without opposition. State Sen. Scott Newman (R-Dist. 18) said in a statement:

“This change was made unilaterally by Democrats in the Dayton administration, without legislative approval, and I have questions about its legality. More importantly, I’m concerned that law enforcement may not have been consulted."

According to KXRA, Newman was also concerned that the change would “hamper law enforcement's ability to properly identify suspects.”

Minnesota is not the first state to offer a third gender option on their IDs. Maine, Oregon, California, New York, Washington state, and Washington D.C. all already have or will soon have the option available on driver’s licenses or birth certificates.

You can watch a report on this from KVRR below:

 

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