Recognition (USA)

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    Recognition (USA). This article gives information on recognition of nonbinary gender identities in law, government, services, and businesses in the United States of America (USA). This also deals with policies about transgender people in general, and related policies about intersex people. Recognition here means whether an organization acknowledges that such people exist and have valid identities, and the organization does this by routinely giving them a place where they aren't forced into being wrongly categorized as a gender that doesn't match their gender identity. In the case of recognition of nonbinary people, this means the system doesn't force them to wrongly say they are one of the binary genders (female or male).

    How to use

    When adding to the tables, please note all sections are in alphabetical order, as are the entries within them. Here is an explanation of the columns and the color code in most of the tables on this page.

    Color code for each cell in the below tables:

    • green (#9f9) means it doesn't ask for this information at all. This is ideal because it doesn't need to be changed, won't make a mismatch with other paperwork, and is no trouble.
    • blue (#9ff) means it offers a write-in field. This is good because it acknowledges the existence of nonbinary people, but it can make a mismatch with other paperwork.
    • yellow (#ffb) means it asks but answering it is optional. For a title, this means it lets you leave it blank. For a gender, this means it lets you leave it blank, or select an option called "none", "prefer not to state", or "unspecified". This doesn't acknowledge the existence of nonbinary people and can make mismatches with other paperwork, but it's better than otherwise.
    • purple (#f9d) means it has a mandatory selection but gives some gender-neutral options, which may even acknowledge the existence of people who are nonbinary or intersex. For a title, this means the available options include not only Dr, but Mx. For a gender, it acknowledges that there could be other genders than female or male, giving options such as "other" or "intersex". This acknowledges the existence of nonbinary people, which is good, but requires you to be either out or closeted, and can create mismatches with other paperwork, which is trouble.
    • red (#f99) is mandatory selection, without gender-neutral options. For a title, the only remotely gender neutral titles it offers are things such as "Dr". For a gender, it only allows only female or male. This is the worst because it is nonbinary erasure. Activists need to let the organization know it can be more inclusive.
    • white background means we don't have information about this yet, or some other situation (describe)

    Columns in the table:

    • Title is for title selection. Does the organization's paperwork require you to give a title such as Dr., does it let you leave it blank, or does it let you write in gender neutral titles such as Mx?
    • Gender is for explicit gender (or "sex") selection. Does the organization's paperwork require you to say what gender you are, or doesn't ask? If it does, are you limited only to female and male options, or does it offer more options, or can you write in something else?

    Ideally, please include a link to evidence, such as a screenshot or scan of the paperwork, with personal details blacked out, or cite a source.

    Businesses

    This section is for kinds of businesses other than listed elsewhere on this page. Please add to this section.

    Planet Fitness in Richmond, CA is willing to let individuals "choose" which of the two binary locker rooms they would like to use.

    Charities

    Charitable organizations. Please add to this section.

    Education

    Schools of all kinds, as well as other educational resources.

    Note that for gender nonconforming children and teens, homeschooling or unschooling is an option. This still involves a lot of paperwork, but it's a life-saving option for youth who have difficulty with fitting in or feeling safe around peers and faculty at school. Homeschooled or drop-out teens can work to pass the General Education Development (GED) test instead of getting a high school diploma. A GED certificate will satisfy all employers and colleges that ask for a high school diploma.

    Colleges and universities

    In the USA, many colleges use paperwork that makes problems for transgender people, especially nonbinary people. The Common Application and Universal College Application, used by many USA colleges, used to restrict answers to only the binary sex assigned at birth of the applicant. However, starting in the 2016-2017 academic year, these applications updated the "sex" field to "sex assigned at birth" and added an optional free text field for gender.[1]

    The Applying to College as a Non Binary Trans Person article is highly recommended, because it goes into more detail about many aspects of college life for a nonbinary person in the USA, and some common problems in paperwork.

    Organization Gender Notes
    American University Allows gender-neutral housing, "limited to the 'social justice' house for first years"[2]
    Bard College Allows gender-neutral housing[2]
    Bowling Green State University Allows gender neutral housing, but is limited to Founders Hall and one floor of MacDonald Hall for 2016-17