The City of Somerville, Mass. has officially updated its marriage certification process so marriage partners no longer need to identify themselves by gender. The update mirrors a recent example set earlier this year by the City of Boston.
“At its core, the purpose of a marriage license is to legally bind two individuals in love, regardless of their gender identity or expression,” Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne stated in a press release when the move became official last month. “Our city believes in celebrating love in all its forms, and this change reflects our unwavering dedication to creating a Somerville where every resident is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”
While the application for a marriage license, a form set by the Commonwealth, will continue to include a field for gender, applicants may choose to leave the field blank. Any information entered into that field will not appear on a marriage certificate issued by the City of Somerville.
“For folks who are nonbinary … for folks who may be genderqueer or may have transitioned throughout their marriage or engagement … not forcing them to make one of these choices between what on a document is male or female is really important and allows everyone to show up as their fullest and most authentic selves,” Somerville City-Councilor-at-Large Willie Burnley Jr. told The Tufts Daily, which also reported that anyone already married in Somerville may also request a free updated copy of their own marriage certificate.
More: somervillema.gov
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