Changing sex on birth certificate allowed under proposed law

The Liberal government has introduced legislation that would allow transgender people to change the sex listed on their birth certificates.

Service New Brunswick Minister Ed Doherty introduced the bill Thursday. It will also lower the minimum age at which someone can legally change their name, from 19 years old to 16 years old.

To change their sex designation, a New Brunswicker will have to apply to the province with a written statement that the requested designation "is consistent with the gender with which the applicant identifies and the applicant is currently living in a manner consistent with the requested sex designation and intends to continue to do so," the bill says.

Doherty said the bill is consistent with a Liberal announcement in June that Medicare will now pay for gender-confirmation surgery.

Surgery not required

But a New Brunswicker won't have to have the surgery in order to change a designation.

"This will alleviate many of the anxieties they are subject to as a result of not being able to change their name on their birth certificate," Doherty said.

Applicants will have to include a written statement from a doctor or nurse practitioner that their existing sex designation is "inconsistent" with the gender they identify with.

Once the law is passed, it will allow gender-designation changes to other forms of identification, such as driver's licences, because birth certificate designations are the basis for how gender is listed elsewhere.

About 25 applicants

Doherty said about 25 people have applied under the existing legislation to change their names to reflect their gender identities, but he wasn't sure over what time period that was.

He said he had spoken to people who wanted the change and "They're absolutely delighted that the government is moving forward with this."

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Green Party Leader David Coon applauded the legislation, calling it evidence of shifting attitudes in the province.

"The attitudes in the province have been changing quite rapidly, more rapidly than I expected, and that's great to see," Coon said. "And it's certainly been led by young people."