UK government urged to give non-binary people legal recognition in new petition

A petition urging the UK government to recognise non-binary as a legal gender has garnered more than a thousand signatures in a few days.

Non-binary gender markers are not recognised on official documents in the UK, despite advocacy for them to be included. The latest petition was created on Sunday (1 December) and has since gained some 1,100 signatures.

By law, the government must respond to a petition that reaches more than 10,000 signatures. With 100,000 signatories, it will be considered for debate in parliament.

“Many non-binary people in the UK currently feel invisible and ignored,” the petition’s author, Thomas Hockley, said. “Therefore, we think this government should seek to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004 so that it extends legal recognition to a third, non-binary gender.”

If recognised, UK citizens would be able to mark documents such as passports with a non-binary gender marker, typically “Mx” or “X.”

Nineteen countries currently legally recognise non-binary gender markers, including Australia, Argentina, Chile, Malta, The Netherlands and New Zealand

A similar petition in 2021 collected more than 140,000 signatures. The conservative government said no change would be made, citing “complex” legal difficulties.

“The government wants individuals who identify as non-binary to be able to live discrimination-free lives, in accordance with who they believe their true selves to be. We are working to determine what action it may be necessary for government to take in order to achieve this,” a spokesperson said.

“However, we are also mindful of the practical consequences for other areas of law and public-service provision referring to the gender binary, if non-binary genders were to be recognised in the [Gender Recognition Act].”

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