CITY HALL—Transgender New Yorkers will no longer have to undergo gender reassignment surgery to change the sex on their city-issued birth certificate after the City Council passed a law Monday repealing the requirement.
Councilman Corey Johnson, chair of the health committee and sponsor of the legislation, said the surgery requirement presented an "insurmountable barrier" for transgender New Yorkers, the vast majority of whom never undergo sex reassignment surgery.
"Without a birth certificate that accurately reflects their gender identity, transgender people are routinely forced to disclose their transgender status resulting in increased difficulty accessing critical services and opportunities for employment, educational opportunities and financial services," said Johnson.
Transgender people can already change their sex on other identifying documents such as drivers licenses. But when the gender on their identifying documents don't match, many transgender men and women face the loss of jobs and the inability to access vital services such as healthcare or public assistance.
Under the new law, an individual would be able to change the sex on their birth certificate by submitting a letter from a physician or mental health provider that the change accurately reflects the individual's gender.
New York state dropped a similar requirement earlier this year but the law was necessary because the city is responsible for issuing its own birth certificates.
The Board of Health also removed the gender reassignment surgery requirement to change the sex on a birth certificate on Tuesday.
"For some transgender individuals, convertive surgery is either not an option due to the individual’s medical history or simply not desired," said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.
"These new measures will ensure that New Yorkers have birth records that reflect their gender, and that transgender people no longer have to have surgery to change their gender identity."
Johnson said the measure will remove the additional stress and pain many transgender people experience about their documentation during what is already a difficult process.
"Many transgender people face discrimination, harassment and in some cases violence just for expressing who they are," said Johnson.
