‘X’ gender option will be an option for New Yorkers applying for food stamps and other public assistance

New Yorkers applying for food stamps and other public assistance programs will soon be able to choose an ‘X’ gender option when filling out their application.

This development is according to the Associated Press. The same non-binary gender option is presently available on New York Driver’s Licenses and Birth Certificates.

This update stems from a court settlement from a 2021 lawsuit against several government agencies.

Those who filed the lawsuit claimed New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistances’ computer system failed to offer an ‘X’ option, which in turn would cause non-binary people to lie, under oath, by declaring themselves male or female, or have their benefits rejected.

Officials say a software upgrade is needed for Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance before the ‘X’ gender option will become available.

Albany Capitol Plaza image.