American Medical Association Suggests Removing Sex Designations From Birth Certificates

The American Medical Association (AMA) is recommending the removal of sex designations from babies' birth certificates.

The association suggests leaving out "sex" on the public-facing side and making that information available for medical and statistical use only. According to the AMA's LGBTQ+ advisory committee in a June report, this is because "assigning sex using a binary variable and placing it on the public portion of the birth certificate perpetuates a view that it is immutable." Indicating babies either "female" or "male" at birth "fails to recognize the medical spectrum of gender identity."

Birth certificates are needed for various purposes, such as obtaining passports or registering for school, posing many challenges for transgender, non-binary and intersex individuals. In the report, the AMA mentions that birth certificates have "been used to discriminate, promote racial hierarchies, and prohibit miscegenation." It adds: "However, sex designation is still included on the public portion of the birth certificate, despite the potential for discrimination."

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