parenthood

A Canadian Baby Might Be the First Without a Gender Assigned at Birth

Photo: Getty

For what might be the first time in the world, a baby in Canada has been issued an I.D. without an assigned gender. Their parent told CKNY they’d like the baby to discover their own gender identity over time.

Born last November in British Columbia, baby Searyl Atli Doty’s parent, Kori Doty, is suing Canada’s Vital Statistics Agency over its refusal to grant their child a birth certificate without an assigned gender. Because Searyl was born “outside the medical system,” the baby did not undergo the genital inspection that usually leads to a gender label. Doty’s lawyer said the baby’s I.D., a health card — on which the letter “U,” for “unknown,” appears after the “Sex” category — was a surprise and “a huge step forward.” Now, the baby’s parent is striving for a birth certificate with a similar designation.

“We’re not actually asking to have anyone’s ID changed against their will,” Doty said. “We’re just asking to change the structure of how identification, particularly the birth certificate, starts out.”

A Canadian Baby Might Be the First Without a Gender Assigned