Territory residents now have the option of listing "X" in place of male and female distinctions on driver's licences and identification cards.
The change has been rolled out in a bid to ensure services provided by the territorial government are inclusive and respectful of transgender, two-spirit, inter-sex and non-binary Northwest Territories residents, a release from the GNWT stated Monday.
The addition applies to identifiers issued by the Department of Infrastructure. The department's minister, Wally Schumann, stated NWT is one of the first jurisdictions to adopt a third gender option.
"Today's announcement will make it easier to obtain government identification that matches one's gender identity. We remain committed to ensuring individuals across the North are empowered and feel safe in the communities they call home," Schumann stated in the release.
Lane MacIntosh, president of LGBTQ outreach organization Rainbow Coalition of Yellowknife, said the move is a step in the right direction.
"To be able to hold Government issued ID that reflects and respects the individual which it identifies is so valuable," MacIntosh stated in the press release, adding there is still a long way to go for gender rights and inclusion.
Residents looking to change their ID's gender identifier can do so free of charge by providing an application or renewal form to a NWT issuing office.