ND House bill would prohibit trans birth certificates reflecting new identity

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — A bill in the North Dakota legislature would keep transgender people from obtaining birth certificates reflecting their new identity.

The bill allows three exceptions. One includes basic data entry errors.

Another includes if someone was misidentified at birth.

The third exception is if gender was changed with “anatomically correct” genitalia as certified by a medical provider.

Opponents of the bill say they worry for LGBT youth who feel targeted and like they don’t belong in their home state.

Supporters of the measure call the house bill “common sense.”

“Let’s not tumble down the rabbit hole on something as fundamental as a document that states scientific fact. Playing games is fine but playing with the truth is simply foolish,” says Mark Jarritsma, the Executive Director of the North Dakota Family Alliance.

“One thing we are seeing with our youth, especially youth who this will target, this is one of the bills where they cry over. This is one of the bills we’re seeing where they leave and we question if they come back, at least if they come back alive or, we’re getting calls saying they did kill themselves. They’re seeing this as part of their state to not feeling like they belong,
said Caedmon Marx, the Outreach Coordinator for Dakota OutRight.

Marx asks why the government should impede on a personal right?

Jarritsma says biological sex is defined by a doctor at birth based on one’s genitals and chromosomes while gender is social and legal status set by society regarding behaviors and thoughts.