‘X’ Is One Of Three Gender Options You Can Pick On Your Michigan Drivers License
Getting a driver's license was one of the most exciting moments of my teenage years.
I can still remember all the pressure and stress I had before and during I took my road test.
I don't think I've ever checked my mirrors that many times in my life.
Thankfully, I passed the first time and was given my Michigan driver's license.
I'm not sure how much the written and road tests have changed since I took mine, but I do know of a new option that's available for Michigan drivers and there's a good chance you haven't heard about it yet.
X Is One Of Three Gender Options You Can Pick On Your Michigan Driver's License
Back on November 2nd, 2021 Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson announced that effective November 10, Michigan residents would be able to select a non-binary option - marked with an "X" - as the sex on their driver's licenses and state identification cards.
I am proud to support Michiganders across the state who for many years have called on the Department of State to provide a non-binary sex marker on their ID that matches their lived reality, We have been working toward this goal since 2019, when we first removed the barriers for residents to change their sex marker in order to help protect their safety and accurately reflect their identity. -Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson
What Is Non-Binary?
Non-binary is a term used to describe people whose gender is not exclusively male or female
It is an umbrella term for gender identities that are not solely male or female, and includes many different terms such as genderqueer, agender, bigender, genderfluid, and more
Non-binary people may feel like a mix of genders, or like they have no gender at all.
Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex, though some non-binary people do not consider themselves transgender.
Non-binary people may identify as an intermediate or separate third gender, identify with more than one gender, have no gender, or have a fluctuating gender identity.
How Can You Change Your Sex Marker?
Residents who wish to change their sex marker to "X" can do so by visiting any Secretary of State office.
You're encouraged to schedule a visit for a license or ID correction by visiting Michigan.gov/SOS or calling 888-SOS-MICH.