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Transgender girl in Comox gets a new birth certificate

Comox resident Harriette Cunningham, 11, has a new birth certificate identifying her as female. Harriette, who is transgender, advocated alongside her grandmother Cathie Dickens to make it easier to change the sex designation on official ID.
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Comox resident Harriette Cunningham shows off her new birth certificate.

Comox resident Harriette Cunningham, 11, has a new birth certificate identifying her as female. Harriette, who is transgender, advocated alongside her grandmother Cathie Dickens to make it easier to change the sex designation on official ID.

On May 29, Bill 17 was passed into law, meaning people wishing to change the sex designation on their birth certificates no longer have to undergo sex reassignment surgery first.

In less than two months since the bill passed, about 30 British Columbians have changed the “M” or “F” on their birth certificates.

Although Harriette is happy with her new ID, the Cunninghams hope to see gender removed entirely from official ID, which would be more inclusive of intersex and gender-variant people who do not identify as male or female.