One of the most progressive states in the United States, California, is seriously considering a law that recognizes the existence of a gender such as non-binary, which is essentially the third gender. This is due to the appearance of the world's first asexual person.
Shocking recognition
Last summer, Star Hagen-Escerra began to seriously think about a name change. She used the Star name from the age of 15, when she declared to her friends and relatives that she does not consider herself to be male or female, and is a sexless person.
Star admitted that she does not feel like a girl or a boy, and asked relatives to contact her exclusively in the plural to exclude the use of various pronouns.
Star felt uncomfortable, indicating the wrong name in various documents, because she likes to follow the rules and does not plan to break the law. When it came time to fill out documents at the university, Star also experienced some stress, because she could not say who she really considered herself. She felt like a sexless person.
The triumph of justice
Star Hagen-Escherra decided to change her name shortly before the presidential election, when the local Diversity Center, located in Santa Cruz County, California, organized the so-called "Diversity Day", where people could learn in detail about the transgender difference and the difficulties with paperwork, including including for an asexual person.
It was then that Star first saw 55-year-old Sarah Kelly Keenan, an intersex activist who became the second person in all of America with non-binary status. She wanted to help young people who could openly recognize their gender, as well as avoid paperwork and the struggle for their rights.
Sarah helped Star to go through all the vicissitudes of the law and the young asexual man officially received non-binary status.
The fight for recognition
Unfortunately, neither the federal government nor municipal authorities officially recognize the third gender. Non-binary, as the asexual person is called, is a relatively new term and causes a huge amount of controversy and misunderstanding both in America and in the rest of the world. The beliefs of such people are simply not taken seriously.
But the ice has broken, and the situation with the definition of asexual people in the law is beginning to change. Keenan, Star, and several other California residents, through the legislature, are attempting to officially recognize non-binary status. So why make people asexual? This bill can simplify the self-determination of such citizens: the so-called third gender will be indicated in the driver’s license, passport and birth certificate. Nearly 40 million California residents will be able to obtain this right.
What for?
Sarah and Star had no goal of becoming pioneers in the self-determination of asexual people. They simply tried to convey to others their own vision of the world and their place in it. Until Sarah was 49 years old, she did not know about her affiliation with intersexuals, that is, people with sexual characteristics of both sexes.
Sarah Keenan is the owner of male genes, female genitals and a mixed reproductive system, but neither her relatives nor the doctors have ever told her about this. Official science does not yet give a positive answer to the question of whether asexual reproduction of a person is possible.
About six years ago, when Sarah learned the truth about herself and her affiliation with intersexuals, she began to fight for self-determination, which took several years. According to her, the goal is to achieve equality between all members of society. She says children like Star should live life to the fullest and not be involved in a terrible paperwork.
At the moment, Star Hagen-Escerra and Sarah Keenan are the beginning of a new stage in the LGBT community. Every day on the path to gender freedom and self-determination of asexual people, photos of which can be found in the article, there are less and less obstacles.
Difficulties
At a court meeting that decided on Star’s gender identity, she was asked if her decision was a consequence of a rebellion of hormones and impulses, to which the young American replied that she had never made impulsive decisions in her life.
According to Star, this scrap of paper saved her from the need to endlessly prove to everyone her gender neutrality throughout her life.
Her non-binary status has been disputed by society and the law many times, because she loves feminine dresses, bright makeup and hairstyles with flowing curls. Star also builds relationships with guys of a traditional sexual orientation, which makes her gender an even more confusing issue.
Opposition
The Christian Family California Council is opposed to the adoption of the law. This organization is of the opinion that the status of non-binary will plunge into chaos the generally accepted notions of gender. Activist Greg Burt at the first hearing of the bill on the official status of the third sex urged jurors to think about their children and the future of the nation.
Greg did not attend the second hearing; Jonathan Keller, who is the executive director of the California Family Council, was in his place. He tried to argue his disagreement with the technical sides of the issue, in particular, by changing the order in schools and colleges. Will there be sports teams with third parties? Or locker rooms for asexual people? How much is it?
On May 31, 2017, the bill was formally approved by the California Senate with 26 votes in favor and 12 against. The bill was later passed on to the California Assembly.