Written testimony in Support of MD SB196

There was a bill put before the Maryland State Senate this year (which passed the Senate, YEA!!!) allowing non-binary people, such as myself, the opportunity to put a "X" as our gender marker rather than a "M" or "F".  Recently, there was an article in the Baltimore Sun about how people do not support this idea.  I wanted to post my testimony about this to give people the perspective of a non-binary person and so they can see that this is not a huge ask, but rather something which won't affect them but will aid us.

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My name is Matthew Vandover and I am submitting this written testimony in support of Senate Bill 196 which would allow people to choose an unspecified sex for their drivers’ license rather than only male or female.

I am a nonbinary individual, which means that I do not identify as either male or female.  Yet every day I am forced to identify as male or female whenever I submit an online application or form or if I fill out a paper application.  People like me are not being allowed to be ourselves, rather we are being forced into the boxes within the gender binary.  While this bill is not perfect, it is a big step forward to recognizing those of us who are non-binary.

There have been only a few opportunities in my life where I was given the option to choose an option other than male and female, and every time it was wonderful because it allowed me to be who I truly am rather than trying to force me into a box that I do not truly fit in.  My sense of identity, something that cisgender people take for granted, is something that I constantly need to affirm and present to people, so having the government officially recognize this would validate me and anyone else like me.

Every day, I am forced to see the world in gendered terms:  men’s and women’s rooms, men’s and women’s clothing, men’s and women’s sports, etc., etc., etc.  There is rarely, if ever, a choice for someone who is looking for something that is gender-neutral.  While this may not seem like a huge deal, having to constantly fight or remind myself that the gender binary is not the only way to look at the world is a huge drain on me emotionally and psychologically.

I am not a scientist, doctor, or researcher, so I cannot speak about that, all I can do is speak for myself.  By allowing me to identify myself officially as the person I am, the government would go a long way to not only validating my identity, experience, and existence, but it would make life easier and less stressful for future individuals who are non-binary.

For these reasons, I respectfully ask that you vote in favor of SB196.

Matthew Vandover