Maryland Measure Allowing Unspecified Gender Advances in Senate

The Maryland State Senate has advanced a measure that would allow for residents to select an unspecified gender on the driver’s licenses.

Senators gave the measure preliminary approval on Wednesday. The bill would allow applicants to identify as male, female or unspecified. If the applicant identifies as an unspecified sex, the Motor Vehicle Administration would have to ensure the license displays an “X” rather than a “M” or “F”.

The measure also prohibits the MVA from requiring an applicant to provide proof of gender or from denying an application because the sex selected by the applicant doesn’t match the sex displayed on another document associated with the applicant.

Several states including California, Colorado, Minnesota, Maine and Oregon have recently allowed the designation of an unspecified gender on licenses.