Gender on Government Forms in the state of
Kentucky
Research by Emma Day
Gender discrimination in the state of Kentucky, specifically regarding transgender and other gender queer identities, is an ongoing discussion in the current sociopolitical atmosphere. Many government forms in the state of Kentucky require the gender of those filling them out to be specified; however, there are often only two gender selections on these documents, or the form requires the signee to check the box matching their sex that was assigned at birth.
Rather than othering genderqueer individuals or forcing them to identify with their binary gender in the state of Kentucky, elected officials should consider adding a "specify" option to government forms. This would not only increase inclusivity, but make a huge lead towards equality.
Gender equality is validating every person's gender identity and protecting their right to be themselves by law. Genderqueer individuals deserve more than two options or an "other" box. This portfolio focuses specifically on the injustices genderqueer people face in the state of Kentucky regarding the required field of expressing a binary gender on government forms.
What is gender equality?
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Gender is like a Rubik's Cube with one hundred squares per side, and every time you twist it to take a look at another angle, you make it that much harder a puzzle to solve
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The state of Kentucky does not currently recognize the possibility of same sex parents on most government forms. Rather than having "Parent 1" or "Parent 2" or "Single Parent" options, there is still only an option for a mother and a father. This is accurate on both the current birth certificates and the applications for new ones. The same issue applies for child support applications. People in Kentucky even have to specify their gender to receive a horse racing license.