Right in the middle of Pride month, Oregon just made a huge move to support non-binary people.
According to BuzzFeed, the Oregon Transportation Commission approved a rule on Thursday that will allow people living in the state to officially declare their gender as non-binary on their driver's licenses. Instead of just "M" for Male and "F" for Female, people will soon be able to choose "X" when ticking off their gender marker. Reuters points out Oregon is the first state to provide this option.
The rule, which will go into effect on July 1, came after a judge ruled people should be able to select non-binary as a gender option on their identification. Oregon isn't the only state working to improve gender marker options on official documents. The California legislature is considering bill that would allow people to officially declare their gender as non-binary, and would make it easier to switch your gender on any legal document.
With the official decision coming in June, which is Pride month, Transportation Commission member Sean O'Hollaren told BuzzFeed this is much more than just a rule change.
"When we request approval on an administrative rule, it just doesn’t do it justice," he said. "It’s fitting that this is before us during pride week in Oregon and pride month around the country."
Someone else, who remained unnamed, explained the significance of the rule to BuzzFeed.
"While to some, this change may not seem very big, I assure you that it is," the person said. "While this change may not save the world, it will without a doubt save the worlds of those who need it."
This is a good point. Adding another gender marker to the system may seem small or insignificant to some, but for those who do not identify as binary and have been forced to exist within one on legal documents, finally being officially recognized on their license is a step toward being more recognized in society in general.