Wales Green Party Leader and Deputy Leader Alice Hooker-Stroud and Hannah Pudner will be joined by the party's two deputy leaders, Amelia Womack and Shahrar Ali, at Pride Cymru this weekend as the Wales Green Party's LGBTIQ+ group launches a campaign to recognise non-binary genders.
Welsh Green Pride are set to launch a petition urging the government to follow in the lead of tech giants Google and Facebook to acknowledge that many people do not identify as male or female.
Welsh Green Pride have highlighted that many individuals who do not identify as 'male' or 'female' are not protected by the Equality Act 2010. The treatment of individuals who do not identify as a binary gender does not take into account their gender identity and they therefore remain unequal by law.
The spokesperson for Welsh Green Pride, Andrew Creak, said: "First and foremost, a binary understanding of gender is outdated. It is something science has long gone past. It is also immoral. Considering that over 40% of non-binary people have attempted suicide at some point, a third have experienced physical assault, and that a sixth have experienced a sexual assault, this is an incredibly important issue. People who identify for example as gender fluid or bigender deserve to be recognised by the UK government and law. Being accepted and having legal recognition has an enormous impact on an individual's mental health."
In 2013, Brighton & Hove Council accepted 'Mx' as a gender neutral title. This was welcomed by many as a progressive initiative.
Creak, who identifies as gender fluid, added: "Although legal documents in the United Kingdom currently only recognise two binary genders - 'female' and 'male' - over a quarter of trans people in the UK identify outside this gender binary. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have taken actions to ensure these people aren't excluded from legal processes. These countries have also taken practical measures that demonstrate inclusivity, such as adding an extra option on passports: a simple 'X' for unspecified gender. There is no question why the UK could not do the same."
The petition kick-started by Welsh Green Pride calls for a gender option other than 'male' and 'female' to be available to anyone who requires it on all legal documents and records. Find the petition at www.pride.greenparty.wales/non-binary_exists.