HARRISBURG – Two Democrat PA House lawmakers plan to offer legislation which would remove a person’s sex from birth certificates. Montgomery County Reps. Benjamin Sanchez and Joe Webster say precedent already exists for amending what is required on birth certificate documents. They say bureaucratic roadblocks make the process of amending government documents complicated as people face discrimination and barriers when changing categories like their sex. The lawmakers say, as recommended by the American Medical Association, removing sex designations on birth certificates will prevent many problems individuals face by having a different gender identity. Sex will still be reported on the U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth system, which is used for medical and statistical data collection; therefore, its place on a birth certificate is redundant and unnecessary. The two lawmakers are circulating a co-sponsorship memo seeking support of their measure.
REP. JOE WEBSTER
REP. BENJAMIN SANCHEZ