A Important Petition

[Earthshine]

I know that many people do not think very much of gender, as for most of us it is very much black and white, male or female from birth to death. But imagine that you were born within the lines that are NOT readily identified as either male or female, what should be done? Many parents decide to 'remedy' this 'error' with surgery, 'correcting' genitalia into a gender that fits the binary.

This may seem like the best way to save a child from years of taunting and torment from being 'different', and does in some ways, but the fact is is that this causes a LOT of trauma to a person years down the line when puberty sets in.

Now that I have said this little bit I want to get to the main point of my plea; there are those in the world that DO NOT fit in the category of male or female, and do not identify as such but are FORCED to because the American government does not legally recognize anything different other than Male or Female. These people are in fact in a large quantity, larger than you might actually think so this an issue that is very important (I would go into statistics but I'm not fond of doing that and that isn't the point, but if you want to see numbers ask).

There is a petition to the white house of the USA that calls for the recognition of those who are not strictly male or female, now because it is a petition we need numbers to show that people are concerned and serious about this because politicians just have laughed this off for years.

I am asking those of this forum that wish to give support to this cause to please sign this petition, I am sorry to say that you must create an account to sign (this made me mad too) but this is important.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/recognize-non-binary-genders/80HYg71P

As a final note I apologize in advance to anyone that may take offense to this, it was not my intention to cause distress, this is just a matter that means a lot to me. I also apologize if this comes off as spamming.

On another final note, this petition is not directly aimed to those that were born not strictly XX or XY on a chromosomal level or to those that were born 'intersexed', but this petition is aimed towards those that do not identify within the male or female category. I used examples of intersexed individuals (its the easiest to explain to those that are 'out of the loop') because many who were born as such do identify as neither male or female.

Please sign this and share it on facebook. Even if you might not want to sign it, it's good to share it with others that might want to. Thank you very much.

[jeffbert]

I wonder if you are referring to those born with both male & female parts, or to those who are born one sex, but identify themselves as the other sex.

[Earthshine]

I am dreadfully sorry to have taken so long to answer your question, as I do not spend a lot of time online.

I am actually refering to those that simply don't identify as male or female, think of Michi from the original Metropolis manga; a being that although might physically be male or female really is niether, they are in a gender group of their own. Transgender peoples are not in this category because they are indeed either male or female. My partner is in this category and they are pyhsically female but identify as third gender, not belonging to the gender binary of male or female.

There are however those who physically are intersexed and identify as third gender or just not part of the binary, third gender is a realativally new term for a new gender category.

This is a very obscure issue that is overall ignored by developed and advanced nations.

[Juanita]

Sorry, in just a bit confused. Is this petition going to give these people a choice of whether they want to get these operations or not or will it just make a new "category" of gender? Or is it both? Or is it neither?
Again, sorry, I just want to be 100% sure.

[Earthshine]

It is a petition to allow people who are not male or female be granted the right to identify as such legally. If you lookon your ID, it will say if you are male or female, and there is no getting around it. If you live in the United States, you have no choice but to identify as one or the other, and in some cases have a title such as Mr or Mrs. This is unfair to those that are not part of the gender binary.

In New Zealand their people have the right to claim simply X in place of the M or F on their IDs, which recognizes their gender, and they don't have to have a title.

This petition has nothing to do with surgery rights, it has to do with federal recognition.

I am glad to explain anything that you are confused about.

[Juanita]

Oh ok. I get it now. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[Earthshine]

I'm glad to educate all that I can.

Unfortunately the petition failed to get it's signature requirements by approximately 5000...

[Juanita]

Ouch...