Changes to New South Wales laws that make it easier for people to change their gender on birth certificates have been embraced with hundreds of people finally able to update their documents.
The Daily Telegraph has revealed that 766 people have changed their birth certificate since the new rules came into effect on 1st July this year.
Since the new laws came into effect 496 people have updated their documents to show female as their gender, while 211 people have applied to be listed as female. Twenty nine who were previously recorded as being female have updated their status to non-binary, while 30 people previously listed as male have opted to be listed as non-binary.
The change to the laws means people no longer need to undergo medical procedures to change their gender descriptors. New South Wales was the last state to update their legislation.
The number of people updating their documents has drawn cries of concern from a succession of groups.
Women’s Forum Australia leader Rachel Wong has described the number of people updating their documents as “alarming”, while Bella d’Abrera from the Institute of Public Affairs said people would exploit the laws, while failed Liberal candidate Katherine Deves, who heads lobby group Save Women’s Sport Australia, also raised concern.
Columnist Lucy Zelic, who has become a prominent campaigner against women who are transgender being allowed in women’s sport, said the laws had been “changed under people’s noses”.
Heather Corkhill from Equality Australia said the numbers were a miniscule part of the population.
“Out of a population of more than eight million, just 766 people have updated their birth certificate – an incredibly small number that represents years of pent-up demand and the deep personal importance of this reform.”
“The fact that hundreds of people acted when the law changed shows how long they’ve waited simply to be recognised as who they are,” she said.
“People don’t change their gender on a whim; it involves up-ending their whole lives.” Corkhill said.
