International

The highest court in Germany has ruled that a third sex must be included on official documents.
     The Federal Constitutional Court has ordered the creation of a new term covering intersex people, using a “positive name for the sex” for birth certificates by the end of next year.
     The ruling came after an intersex person, who is neither a man nor woman according to chromosomal analysis, brought a legal challenge after attempting to change their registered sex to “inter” or “divers”.Authorities rejected the original application because under German civil law a child must be listed as male or female, or the section left blank.
     Judges sitting in Karlsruhe ruled that the current requirements are incompatible with Germany’s constitution, violating provisions on privacy and discrimination.
     “The legislature [parliament] has until 31 December 2018 to create a new regulation,” the ruling said.