A "historic change" was made to the New York State driver's license.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced a change to the New York State license. Empire State residents now have the option of not selecting a gender.

New York residents who don't want to choose a gender can now choose "X" as a gender marker on a New York State license, according to Hochul.

'Historic Change' Made Driver's License in New York State

"New Yorkers: You can now choose “X” as a gender marker on your driver license," Hochul stated.

Gov. Hochul
Gov. Hochul
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Gov. Hochul also provided an example of the change. If you take a look a the photo seen above, you can see the "X" as a gender marker at the very bottom of the license. To the left of "Height" and "Eyes" is a marker for "Sex." In the example provided by New York's Governor and "X" is listed next to "Sex."

Hochul says this change is "historic."

"This is a historic change in our fight to make New York a more inclusive and just state for all," Hochul said. "Every person deserves to have an identity document that reflects who they are."

Hillary Clinton Addresses New York Democratic Convention
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The change was implemented in accordance with the State's Gender Recognition Act, which went into effect on June 24.

"Perhaps more than any other state agency, New Yorkers directly engage with their government through the DMV, so offering identity documents that are representative of all New Yorkers is a significant milestone. We are thrilled to implement this new option that we know will have a positive impact on the lives of so many of our customers," Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said.

Hochul's office calls this a "landmark legislation" which will give transgender and non-binary New Yorkers "expanded protections." The bill makes it easier for Empire State residents to change their names, change their sex designation and change their birth certificates to better reflect their identity, officials say.

New York State ID Changes

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DMV
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New York State recently updated driver's licenses and state IDs for the first time in 10 years. The fresh new look included enhanced security features.

The cards have been strengthened with features that officials say are designed to prevent counterfeiting.

"The new security features can be verified with the naked eye and by touch," the DMV states.

Anyone who applied for a new permit, license or non-driver ID card after March 10, 2021, will receive the new and improved card.

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