Over 100 NYC Public School Students Identified as ‘X’ in 2020: Report
New York City Schools Allow Children to Identify as “X” in Official Records
Last year, New York City made a groundbreaking change in its public school system by allowing children to identify as “X” in their official records. This new gender designation option has already been embraced by over 100 students, according to data reported by Chalkbeat.
In the first year of implementing this option, a total of 108 students in the nation’s largest public school district chose to have their gender listed as “X” instead of the traditional “male” or “female.” These students identify as non-binary or gender-fluid, and their numbers are expected to grow as more children explore identities beyond their biological gender.
“X – Neither Female nor Male: My student does not identify as female or male (for example, identifies as non-binary, gender expansive, or gender fluid),” reads the city education department’s student gender change request form.
It’s important to note that the 108 “X” gender students only include those who have actively asked their parents to change their gender on their official school records. There may be other students who identify as something other than male or female but have not yet discussed it with their parents or bothered to request a change in their school records. Additionally, trans-identifying students who identify as the opposite gender are not included in the ”X” gender category.
New York City has been at the forefront of recognizing diverse gender identities. Birth certificates in the city already allow parents to choose ”X” as their child’s gender, and the Department of Motor Vehicles started issuing driver’s licenses with the ”X” gender designation last summer.
Transgender Students and Gender Transition in Schools
Since 2019, transgender students in New York City public schools have been able to play on sports teams of the opposite gender and change their gender on school records without going through a legal name or gender change. However, parental consent is required to make these changes.
Interestingly, the state education department encourages school staff to keep parents in the dark about gender transitions in some cases, stating that informing parents about their child’s new gender identity ”can have severe consequences for the student.”
Growing Numbers of Non-Binary and Transgender Youth
The number of students identifying as non-binary is on the rise not only in New York City but across the state. In the school year that ended in 2022, the New York state education department estimated that approximately 300 students identified as non-binary.
Furthermore, a 2022 report from the Williams Institute revealed that the number of transgender individuals aged 13 to 17 in the United States has doubled since 2017. In 2017, about 150,000 teens or 0.7% identified as transgender, but that number has now reached 300,000.
Teens and young adults make up a significant portion of the transgender population, with about 43% of all transgender-identifying individuals being young adults or teenagers. Surprisingly, nearly one in five transgender individuals are minors aged 13 to 17, despite this age group representing less than 8% of the total U.S. population.
Overall, these statistics highlight the growing recognition and acceptance of diverse gender identities among young people.
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