Boston no longer requires gender identification on marriage licenses
In a trailblazing move, the city of Boston has updated its marriage licenses: going forward, they will no longer require gender identification.
This means that couples applying to get married in the city won’t have to disclose information about their gender to employees of the city.
For trans, non-binary and gender diverse people, the change could help alleviate gender dysphoria. READ MORE: The secret history of LGBTQ+ marriage Kimberly Rhoten, who is non-binary and serves as Boston’s director of policy and strategic initiatives for the city’s Office of Returning Citizens, explained at a press conference that they had “eagerly awaited” this change. “Unfortunately for people like me, the certificate’s outdated and narrow gender markers were a glaring reminder that our city still had a long way to go in acknowledging our existence,” they explained.
Any Boston residents who are already married and would like to obtain a marriage license which doesn’t list sex or gender identification can contact the City Registry for a new copy. READ MORE: ‘Major step for equality’: Japan court rules that ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional “Our fundamental charge in public service is ensuring that our services and opportunities reach everyone, and that starts with affirming and supporting constituents of all identities,” Mayor Michelle Wu explained in a statement. “Boston must continue to work to dismantle the historic inequities and injustices that persist.
