A state in Australia could soon adopt new and radical birth certificate reforms that will allow the optional declaration of "mother" and "father" or let the individual change their gender every 12 months on the document.
The Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General detailed the proposal to two women's groups. A spokesperson told Courier-Mail that the reforms were laid out to recognize "trans and gender diverse people." The women understood that the proposal was meant to erase "sex" from official documents.
The public will also be allowed to pick any descriptor of their gender that are not numbers, symbols, or offensive words. If approved, any person above 16 years old will be able to self-identity provided they have the supporting documents from someone who has known them personally for at least 12 months.
On the other hand, kids between 12 to 15 years old may ask for a gender change in their birth certificate through one parent, while those below 12 years old will need supporting documents from both parents. Depending on the child's case, the court may also require additional support, such as testimonies of child development practitioners.
Currently, only Queensland and New South Wales require a person to have a gender change surgery before they make changes to their birth certificate. It's unclear how this proposal will impact the requirement.
"I fell off my chair"
Kelly Carr, who represents International Women's Day (IWD) Brisbane, said she fell off her chair when she heard the proposal. As a mother, Carr said it was "really shocking" to take in what was discussed.
Bernard Lane of Gender Clinic News said it's a "puzzle" to allow people to change their gender every 12 months. It implies that the feelings of the minority, such as the trans or gender diverse people, are more significant than the "biological reality," per Sky News.
IWD professor Helen Waite fears this would be made into a mockery since there was no proposed limit to changing the gender on the birth certificate. Stassja Frei, the founder of Biological Reality, said this will be a win for trans lobbyists, but it is a "dangerous belief system."
I'm in a feminist activist group that campaigns for No Self ID in Qld. We've had a number of protests, most recently on 25 June. pic.twitter.com/nuvLQ7Jde2
— Anna Mack (@annamack3) June 30, 2022
Queensland is not the first Australian state to propose radical birth certificate reforms. Victoria and Tasmania have also made changes, but Queensland's proposal is more exhaustive and far-reaching.
Mom and Dad Become "Parent 1" and "Parent 2"
Meanwhile, in France, in recognizing the minority and avoiding offending trans, gender diverse people and same-sex parents, the French government wants to impose schools to use "Parent 1" and "Parent 2" instead of mother and or father in all forms and documents.
Daily Mirror reported that the proposal passed the first reading in the legislature, which means it's one step closer to becoming a law.
But some officials are not happy with the proposal. Jean-Michel Blanquer, the education minister, described the move as a "legislative overreach" even if it is inclusive and progressive.
