New NSW Birth Certificates aim to empower LGBQIA people

The new commemorative birth certificates issued in NSW are missing one thing – and one NSW MP is not happy.

A new “genderless” commemorative birth certificate issued by the NSW Births Deaths and Marriages Registry — which removes information about the sex of a baby — has been slammed as “woke nonsense”.

The colourful certificate — featuring specially designed “genderless” cartoon animals — was launched to help “empower” LGBQIA people, the agency says.

NSW Registrar Amanda Ianna said the rainbow certificate was: a “special way for people to celebrate the birth a new family member”.

The new “genderless” Commemorative birth certificate issued by the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Anyone can apply for the certificate, which depicts “genderless native animals” to give “rainbow families the freedom to be seen as they wish to be”.

It comes amid a growing push by the transgender community to remove information about the sex of babies on official certificates, with the Tasmanian parliament recently passing a bill to make gender optional.

But One Nation MP Mark Latham — who asked questions about the new $41 NSW certificate in state parliament — says only 12 people have bothered to apply for one and questions why public servants are “wasting time” on “gender politics”.

NSW Legislative Council member Mark Latham has slammed the genderless certificates as ‘woke nonsense’. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

The agency spent $6257 on commissioning the artwork, producing it and launching the certificates. The agency already has a number of commemorative birth certificates celebrating football teams but they can’t be used as official proof of identity.

“All this virtue signalling in the public sector ends up being a waste of time, a waste of money and for what?” Mr Latham said.

“Twelve people out of 7.5 million people in the state?

Binary spokeswoman Kirralie Smith argues there are only two sexes.

“We just want the public sector to do its day job.

“It defies what most people would regard as the point of a birth certificate, to identify the individual, their date of birth and gender.”

Binary spokeswoman Kirralie Smith raised concerns about harms to children over time with gender being erased.

“This is another step in the appropriation of sex and it will cause harm and confusion for our children,” she said.

“Gender ideology is being imposed in all areas of society and ultimately activists want birth certificates, official documents of identity that rely on facts, to be documents that express feelings rather than fact.

“Gender the way activists use the term, is more like personality expression. It has nothing to do with biological reality, it is grounded in a political ideology.”

In NSW, anyone wanting to change the sex listed on their official NSW Birth Certificate must show proof of a medical change of sex.

Originally published as New NSW Birth Certificates aim to empower LGBQIA people