Group of people walk into a Nevada State Department of Motor Vehicles in Las Vegas on October 24, 2011. The DMV is introducing a gender-neutral option on their identification card.
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday Nevadans can now choose gender “X” on their identification cards.
The introduction of the new option is the final step to “modernize policies toward transgender residents and those who don’t identify with either sex,” according to a DMV press release. The move to include the “X” gender option is because the DMV is committed to inclusion, according to Nevada DMV Director Julie Butler.
“The DMV is committed to being inclusive and realizes some people don’t want to be forced to identify as either male or female,” said Butler. “We would like to thank the Nevada community groups who brought these issues to our attention and worked with us to bring about the changes.”
A resident’s gender can be changed on their driver’s license or ID but must be done in person at a DMV location, according to the press release. Until all current forms have been used up at DMV locations, residents must write “X” on the form.
Governor Steve Sisolak also supposed to the change, tweeting his thanks to advocacy groups Transgender Allies and The Center Las Vegas.
“Proud that the Silver State is taking this step towards greater equality for #trans and #nonbinary Nevadans,” Sisolak wrote on Twitter. “We must never stop working to empower all people to live authentically.”
The addition of gender “X” makes Nevada the tenth state to allow residents to choose a gender rather than “M” for male or “F” for female. Prior to Nevada, California, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Oregon, Indiana, Maine, Vermont and Arkansas provided the option for gender “X”.
In 2018, the Nevada DMV allowed applicants to “self-certify” the gender on their driver’s licenses and ID’s. Previously, the DMV required medical documentation to verify a residents gender.
The addition of gender “X” also comes after the Nevada State Legislature added gender identity to the list of protections for employment discrimination in 2011. Enacted under Assembly Bill 211, the protections aimed to ensure equal employment for transgender Nevadans.
Olivia Ali can be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @OliviaNAli.