Stitt signed Senate Bill 1100, approving the first of its kind ban that prohibits nonbinary classifications on state birth certificates. The legislation was authored by Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair.
Under the bill, the biological sex designation on Oklahoma birth certificates may only be male or female, outlawing the use of “X” or any other symbol to represent a nonbinary designation.
The issue came to the forefront in the state last year when Gov. Kevin Stitt directed the State Department of Health to stop issuing birth certificates with nonbinary listed as the sex of the person. The agency had amended birth certificates without being authorized to do so under state law.
People who consider themselves nonbinary do not identify as male or female.
“People are free to identify however they’d like to, but our official state documents need to include factual information, including the correct biological sex designation,” Bergstrom said.
“As the war on common sense continues, we must stand up and put a stop to this nonsense regarding biological sex,” Bergstrom said. “It’s not a complicated issue – biologically, you’re either a male or female. There should be no other option to choose from on a birth certificate.”