Oregon has taken a huge step forward for transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, and gender nonconforming individuals.
As reported by The Daily Dot, an Oregon circuit court ruled today that a resident could legally change their gender to non-binary.
Jamie Shupe, who is a Portland transplant by way of Southern Maryland, explains to The Daily Dot the process of requesting a gender identity change and wanting to create a new category that best fits Shupe’s description.
“Male and female are the traditional categories, but they fail to properly categorize people like me. So I challenged that," Shupe said.
Based on Shupe’s petition for sex change, which was filed on April 27, the court found that the sex of Shupe should be changed to their request. With the help of two primary care doctors and Portland attorney Lake James Perriguey, a case was made to classify Shupe’s gender as non-binary.
Shupe is an Army veteran who began a gender transition in 2013 at age 49. Shupe’s petition was initially to change from male to female, then from female to non-binary. Shupe doesn’t want to use gender pronouns, but prefers ‘Mx.’
Legal experts have confirmed the Oregon court decision is the first time a U.S. court has ruled non-binary as a legal gender. Transgender Law Center’s Legal Director Ilona Turner says it is an important step forward for non-binary members to have access to identity documents that reflect who they are.
"This is incredibly humbling to be the first person to accomplish this," Shupe said of today’s decision. "I hope the impact will be that it opened the legal doorway for all that choose to do so to follow me through. We don't deserve to be classified improperly against our will."
