MK pushes gender-neutral ID cards

An Israeli lawmaker has introduced a bill that would remove the lines indicating “sex” on Israeli state ID cards (teudat zehut) because, she claims, it is unnecessary for identification purposes and discriminates against transsexuals and others with a gender identity that differs from their biological sex.

Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg, who introduced the bill on Monday, said it relates mostly to those who have undergone gender reassignment surgery, where “‘sex’ on their identity cards can be inconvenient, as they find that their biological sex doesn’t match up with their gender.”

An Israeli driver’s license, which can function as official identification, doesn’t list the sex of the bearer but still contains enough information to positively identify someone, the bill noted.

“This line is often unnecessary for Israeli citizens, and an oppressed minority has suffered due to it,” Zandberg told Ynet on Tuesday.

“There is a minority that experiences an incongruity between gender and biological sex, and those who want to change their sex in the registry but experience difficulty with Interior Ministry bureaucrats, the Health Ministry and the establishment.”

Zandberg said that just as “nationality” was once indicated on an ID but was removed, sex should be deemed “not relevant.” Israeli ID cards used to indicate the bearer’s nationality (either Jewish, Arab, Druze or Circassian) but the practice was abolished in 2005.

June marks Pride Month, and Zandberg said the introduction of the bill was related to acknowledging Israel’s gay, lesbian and transgender citizens.