Australia has announced new guidelines to recognise the gender category ‘intersex’ on official documents.

Under the new system, which will come into effect from July 1, individuals will not be required to have undergone sex reassignment surgery or hormone therapy to select the new category.

Since 2011 Australian nationals who were biologically not entirely male or female, have been able to select ‘X’ as a gender category on their passports.

Transgender people have been able to pick whether they are male or female providing their choice is supported by a doctor.
The changes mean people will now have the option to select M (male), F (female) or X (Indeterminate/Intersex/Unspecified).

According to Australia’s Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus the new guidelines will make it easier for people to establish or change their sex or gender in personal records held by federal government departments and agencies.

If an Australian wants to change the gender entry on their personal record, the government will now accept a statement from their doctor or psychologist, a valid Australian passport or a state or territory birth certificate or other document which shows their preferred status.