Very cool! The AP is reporting that the government of Nepal will soon begin issuing third gender IDs for Nepali citizens who do not identify as male or female. Nepal Home Ministry official Bhola Siwakot says that the order to issue third gender citizen certificates has been sent to all district administration offices and that the ID will be available free of charge for anyone who wants it. Nepal’s Supreme Court actually voted in favor of third gender citizen certificates in 2007, but it has taken over 5 years to implement the decision.
Transgender activists are thrilled with Nepal’s actions as it joins a small handful of other countries that legally recognize those who fall outside of the gender binary. Australian passports have been offering a choice between male, female and x since 2011, Indian passports offer a choice between male, female and eunuch and Pakistan offers a third gender identification card for their transsexual, intersex, and eunuch citizens.
Nepal Adds Third Gender to Forms [The Cut]
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