GET READYFOR THE
BIG GAME!
LOOK FOR OUR CIRCULAR
IN TODAY’S PAPER!
Caribbean L 20 ife, Jan. 25–31, 2019
Double win for Caribbean
LGBT community in NY
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DEMOCRACY
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Need to register to vote or
update your existing registration?
Register online or by mail by February 1, or in person
at a NYC Board of Elections office by February 16.
Call 311 or visit www.voting.nyc to register to vote,
confirm your voter registration status, find your polling
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By Alexandra Simon
On Jan. 15 Mayor DeBlasio announced
that the city-issued identification program
IDNYC, now allows its applicants to
choose a third gender.
New Yorkers who do not identify as
male or female can now choose gender
X — which represents the identities of
transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming
people. It’s the latest round of
gender inclusion efforts in the city. Since
Jan. 1, new legislation allowed birth certificates
with the option to alter or choose
a gender besides male or female.
This new option is a major win for
LGBTQ advocates, and two victories particularly
for the Caribbean members of
the community. Not only does this new
gender option affirms how they identify,
many who are part of the immigrant
communities will be able to access
services they could not before, said the
founder of the Queens-based Caribbean
LBGT group.
“For many in our community, this is
the first form of identification that affirms
their identity,” said Mohamed Amin of the
Caribbean Equality Project (CEP). “What
this does is also reaffirm immigrants in
the city because a lot of times immigrants
don’t have any form of government-issued
identification and with IDNYC — they
can access healthcare and other city services.”
And many people in the LGBTQ community
of Caribbean heritage are thrilled
at the news, because it removes an additional
barrier that blocked their access to
certain benefits.
“A lot of folks have reached out to us
for support and they have asked us where
can they sign up or where to schedule an
appointment,” said Amin.
Because the program has many instutuional
partners, LGBTQ New Yorkers
will also get to access much of the city’s
cultural experiences at free or discounted
prices, as many already enjoyed with
IDNYC. One in particular is a year-long
free entry at Leslie-Lohman Museum of
Gay and Lesbian Art.
Amin said this was an enriching opportunity
that can benefit more than just the
cardholder.
“One of the great benefits is that this
gives community members access to NYC
culture because so many museums have
signed to partner with the program,”
said Amin. “This is great for immigrant
parents who have children because they
can get free memberships to a lot of
museums.”
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