#  Boston Passes Historic Rule That Lets People Marry… Without Gender

     Details    Greg Owen   ![logo](https://www.citywatchla.com//templates/ja_teline_v/images/logo.png)         September 04 2023      [  ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2023/071i.jpg#joomlaImage://local-images/stories/Sept-2023/071i.jpg?width=1532&height=1048)    ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/27546-boston-passes-historic-rule-that-lets-people-marry-without-gender)

  [LGBTQ](https://www.citywatchla.com/lgbtq)   - [  Previous Article **Summer Camp Means Everything to At-Risk Youth** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27603:summer-camp-means-everything-to-at-risk-youth&catid=380)
- [  Next Article **Jackie Goldberg - Teacher, Leader and Activist for Improving Public Education for All Kids** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27439:jackie-goldberg-teacher-leader-and-activist-for-improving-public-education-for-all-kids&catid=380)

  ###### Typography

- [](# "Smaller Font")  ****Smaller** **Small** **Medium** **Big** **Bigger****  [](# "Bigger Font")
- [](# "Previous Font Style")  ****Default** **Helvetica** **Segoe** **Georgia** **Times****  [](# "Next Font Style")

- [ Reading Mode](# "Reading Mode")

> <a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
>
>  [Comments](#disqus_thread)

 LGBTQ - On Tuesday, [the City of Boston announced](https://www.boston.gov/news/city-boston-announces-gender-equity-updates-marriage-licenses) it will no longer require applicants for a marriage license to register their sex or gender identity.

It was a day that Boston’s director of policy and strategic initiatives Kimberley Rhoten, who identifies as nonbinary, has “eagerly awaited.”

“Unfortunately for people like me, the certificate’s outdated and narrow gender markers were a glaring reminder that our city still had a long way to go in acknowledging our existence,” they said.

At a press conference, Rhoten was presented with the first new marriage license by Boston Registrar Paul Chong, who told them: “Your love makes the world a better place. It makes this city a better place.”

The change is part of a broader effort by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to address gender identity in city services.

“Our fundamental charge in public service is ensuring that our services and opportunities reach everyone, and that starts with affirming and supporting constituents of all identities,” Wu said announcing the change.

“This update to Boston marriage licenses is a huge step in building a City that is truly inclusive, and I’m excited to see how these critical changes for accessibility at City Hall serve Bostonians.”

The new [gender awareness initiative](https://www.boston.gov/gender-aware-guidelines-and-standards-city-boston-services) outlines a strategy to address how Boston collects gender data, how it’s used, and what city services are impacted by it.

“Right now, we ask residents about gender identity to deliver key services,” an explainer on the city’s website reads. “But when we ask, we often aren’t using language that represents all gender identities and may not even need gender identity to deliver some of these services. We want to understand how to ask about gender identity in an accessible, affirming, and safe way.”

The marriage license update is one result.

According to Rhoten, the change will help to alleviate gender dysphoria among non-binary individuals and spare them from “having to pick from a list of limited, narrow, and delineated options.”

“And for those of us who change and grow, later identifying with a different gender than when we first got married, our marriage certificates no longer constrain us and can now reflect the love we hold without disrespecting who we’ve grown into and our new [pronouns](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/08/incomplete-list-gender-pronouns/),” she said.

Rhoten asserted the new marriage license is “not just a win for the queer community. It’s a win for everyone who believes in the principles of fairness, equality, and equal access to our city’s services. It’s a win for Boston.”

*(Greg Nelson is a writer for LGBTQ Nation where this was first published.)*

  - [  Previous Article **Summer Camp Means Everything to At-Risk Youth** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27603:summer-camp-means-everything-to-at-risk-youth&catid=380)
- [  Next Article **Jackie Goldberg - Teacher, Leader and Activist for Improving Public Education for All Kids** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27439:jackie-goldberg-teacher-leader-and-activist-for-improving-public-education-for-all-kids&catid=380)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>