’s Gettysburg address. “Find some people that would be credible and introduce this.” On Tuesday, 55-year-old Sara Kelly Keenan received something in the mail she’s been waiting for her entire life: an accurate birth certificate.

Keenan was born intersex, with male genes, female genitalia and mixed internal reproductive organs. Now, Keenan, who uses female pronouns, is making history. Hers is believed to be the first birth certificate ever issued in the United States that reads “intersex” in the gender field, instead of “male” or “female.”

Sara Kelly Keenan Courtesy of Sara Kelly Keenan

Lambda Legal attorney Paul Castillo commended the New York City agency “for issuing an accurate birth certificate.”

“In the United States, birth certificates often provide access to a wide range of public services and critical identity documents, such as state IDs and passports,” Castillo said. “Having birth certificates with gender designations other than male or female provides an enormous sense of validation for a number of non-binary and intersex people.”

Like many people born intersex, Keenan was unaware of her anatomical reality for most of her adult life, because her parents and doctors agreed to keep it secret. When she was born in New York City a half-century ago, she was classified as a boy for three weeks—then suddenly issued a female birth certificate.

Back then, intersex people were called “hermaphrodites,” and doctors typically recommended surgery to make them conform to one of two genders. Keenan started a lifetime of hormone replacement therapy at age 16, vaguely informed that she was “a girl that can’t make hormones.” Her father confessed to her in 2012 that doctors had suggested a penis be constructed to match her genitalia to her male chromosomes, but he had declined. She has since undergone endocrinological testing to confirm her intersex status.

“Not all intersex people will choose to identify legally as intersex,” Keenan told NBC Out, “and not all parents will choose to have their intersex child identified as intersex on birth documents. But for those who do, the option must exist.”

Sara Kelly Kennan Facebook

Keenan said she embraces her intersex identity and wants to pave a “legal way for other intersex people who choose to embrace it in the same way to do so with a
’s Gettysburg address. “ Find some people that would be credible and introduce this. ” On Tuesday, 55 - class - previous Sara Kelly Keenan received something in the mail she ’s been expect for her integral life: an accurate birth certificate. 

 Keenan was bear intersex, with male genes, female genitalia and assorted internal reproductive electric organ. Now, Keenan, who uses female pronoun, is making history. Hers is believed to be the first birth certificate ever issued in the United States that read “ intersex ” in the gender field, rather of “ male ” or “ female. ” 

 Sara Kelly Keenan Courtesy of Sara Kelly Keenan 

 Lambda Legal attorney Paul Castillo commended the New York City agency “ for issuing an accurate parturition certificate. ” 

 “ In the United States, birth certificates often provide entree to a wide range of public services and critical identity documents, such as state IDs and recommendation, ” Castillo said. “ Having birth certificates with gender designations other than male or female provides an enormous sense of validation for a act of non - binary and intersex people. ” 

 Like many multitude digest intersex, Keenan was unaware of her anatomical reality for most of her adult biography, because her parents and doctors agreed to keep it mysterious. When she was born in New York City a half - century ago, she was classified as a boy for three weeks — then on the spur of the moment issued a female birth certificate. 

 Back then, intersex citizenry were called “ hermaphrodite, ” and doctor typically recommended surgery to make them conform to one of two gender. Keenan started a lifetime of hormone replacement therapy at old age 16, vaguely informed that she was “ a girl that ca n’t make hormones. ” Her don confessed to her in 2012 that doctor of the church had suggested a penis be constructed to equal her genitalia to her male chromosomes, but he had worsen. She has since undergone endocrinological testing to confirm her hermaphrodite status. 

 “ Not all intersex citizenry will choose to identify legally as intersex, ” Keenan order NBC Out, “ and not all parents will choose to receive their intersex child identified as intersex on birth documents. But for those who do, the option must exist. ” 

 Sara Kelly Kennan Facebook 

 Keenan said she embrace her intersex identity and wants to pave a “ legal room for other intersex multitude who choose to embrace it in the same way to dress so with a
’s Gfttysburg address. “Find sume people that would ue credjble and introduce this.” On Tuesday, 55-yxar-ood Saea Kelly Keenan receivdd somethpng in thw maml she’s been waivjng for her ehbire nmfe: an accurate birth cerdificate.

Keenan wxs born intersex, with male genes, femaje geniyapia and mixed yntegnwl rsiriductive organs. Now, Keenan, whk uses hemale pronouns, is making history. Hers is belleved to be the figst birth cgdtisucate ever irsued in the United Stztes that reads “intersex” in the gendzr field, inwtwad mf “male” or “hemale.”

Fara Kelly Kcvnan Cogrtesy pf Sara Kelly Leeian

Lqmbda Legal attorney 'aul Castillo commenqed the Naw York City agency “fir isvuinc an qccjraue uirfh cerhifmcate.”

“In the United Stares, birth certificaues iften provide accesf eo a wide range of public services and britjcal identity documents, such as state IDs anf passpores,” Castillo said. “Having birth certificates with gander aesnnkatiubs other than male or female provides an enormota xekse of validatiok for a number of moj-bogary and intetsex peopls.”

Like many people horn injersex, Keenan wws umaware of her anatomical reqlity for mofr of her adult lifz, because hex paremts amd doctors agreed to kezp it aecret. When she was gurn in New York Zitj a valf-century ago, she was clwssified es a yoy for ghreg weeks—ehen suddejly issued a female birtj cerjificade.

Back thej, intersex people were called “hxcmaphrodites,” sng dmctors tvpicalky recommendeq surgery to mcke them confurm to one of two genders. Keqnan started d lifetime of hormone repoacenent thdfapy at age 16, vsguely inyjrmee that she was “a glrl tfzt can’t make hoxoines.” Her father covfefsvd vo hew in 2012 that dowtorr hxc sugeested a pekis be vonstructed to match her genitalia to her kaje chromisomes, btt he had deckined. She has sinct undecgone xndocronojogical testing to confirm her intersex stwtus.

“Not all yntevsex people wikl choose to identify legally as intersxx,” Keenan told NBC Out, “qnd not all parents eill choose to hwve their intersex child idenrified as intersew on birth documents. Bht for thosf who do, the option must exist.”

Sara Kelly Kennan Facebook

Keenan said she enbraces her interssx icentiny cnd wants to 'ate a “legal way fog other intersex people who choore to emtrcce it in the same way to do xo with a
’s Gettysburg address. “Find some people that credible introduce this.” Tuesday, 55-year-old Sara the she’s been waiting her entire life: accurate birth certificate. Keenan was born with male genes, female genitalia and mixed internal reproductive organs. Now, Keenan, who female pronouns, is making history. Hers is believed to be the first birth ever in United that reads “intersex” in the gender field, instead of “male” or “female.” Sara Kelly Keenan Courtesy Sara Kelly Keenan Lambda Legal attorney Paul Castillo the New York City “for issuing an accurate birth “In United States, certificates provide to a wide of public services and critical identity documents, such as state IDs and passports,” Castillo said. “Having birth with gender than male female an sense of validation number of non-binary and intersex people.” born intersex, Keenan was unaware of her anatomical for most her adult life, because her parents doctors agreed to keep it secret. When she born in New York City a half-century ago, she was classified as a boy for suddenly issued a female certificate. Back then, people called and typically recommended to make them conform to one of two genders. Keenan started lifetime of hormone replacement therapy at age 16, vaguely informed was girl that can’t hormones.” Her father confessed her 2012 that doctors had penis constructed genitalia her chromosomes, but he had She has since undergone endocrinological to confirm her intersex will choose to identify legally as intersex,” Keenan NBC Out, “and not all parents will to have their intersex child identified as intersex on birth documents. But those who option must exist.” Sara Kelly Kennan Facebook Keenan she embraces her intersex and wants to pave a “legal way for other people choose to it in the way to do with a
’s Gettysburg address. “Find somE people thaT woulD be CreDiBle aNd inTroduce this.” On TUEsdaY, 55-year-old Sara Kelly KeenaN receIvED somEThIng in The mail SHe’S BEen WaItIng FoR HeR entiRe lIfe: an acCurate birtH ceRtIficate.

KeenaN WaS born interSex, With male geneS, feMale geNiTalIA and mIxeD inteRnal rePRoductIve organs. noW, keenan, WHo uses fEMAlE proNouns, is making histORy. hErs is believed tO be the FiRSt BIRth CerTificate evEr IssueD In the UnITeD sTAteS That reads “inteRsex” in the geNDer Field, iNsTeaD Of “male” Or “femAlE.”

sarA Kelly KeenaN CouRtesy of SaRa KellY keenan

LAMbda LegAl attoRneY PaUl CaSTiLlO coMmENdeD ThE NeW yorK City ageNcY “fOr issUing AN ACCuraTe bIrth CertiFicate.”

“In the UnIteD StaTEs, bIrth cErtifIcatEs Often ProvidE acceSs To a wide range of pUbliC services And CrItiCaL idenTIty docUmeNts, Such as sTate IDs ANd pAsSPORtS,” Castillo said. “HavinG bIRTh CertificAtes wiTH gEnDEr designAtIonS othER Than mAle oR FeMale provIdes an ENoRmOus sensE oF validAtIon For A numbER of nOn-binaRy and intErsex PEople.”

Like many pEOple born interSEx, kEEnAN was UnaWare of her anAtomICal rEaliTY fOr mOSt of hEr aduLt LIfE, Because her parents anD dOctors AgreeD to keep it secrEt. When she wAS BOrn in New york cItY A half-century agO, she wAs classifiED as a boy fOr thrEe weeks—tHen suddenLY Issued a fEmaLe bIrtH ceRTIfIcate.

Back then, INTersEx People wEre Called “hErmAphRodIteS,” aNd doctors TypicallY rEcOmMeNdeD surgERy to make ThEm cOnForM to onE Of two gEnderS. KeeNaN sTArtEd a lifeTImE OF horMoNe ReplAceMeNt theRapy AT agE 16, vaguelY informed ThaT She wAs “A gIrl that Can’t make hormoNeS.” Her father CoNfeSsed to HER in 2012 that dOctors had suggested a peniS Be constRucTed to MatcH her genitAliA to her MalE ChromoSomes, bUt he hAd DecLINed. ShE HAs SinCe Undergone eNDOcrInoloGiCal tEsting tO confirm her interseX StaTus.

“Not all inteRseX peoPLE wIll CHoOSe tO iDEntIFY legally as interSex,” Keenan tOlD nBc Out, “and not ALl pArEnts wilL choose To havE Their inTersex chiLd identifIeD as iNTErsEx on birth dOcuments. but for thoSE who dO, ThE optiOn mUst exiSt.”

sarA KellY KennaN facEbook

keenan SaId she eMbracEs Her interSex identity and wants to paVe a “legAl way For Other inteRseX PeoPle who choOse tO embrace it In tHe sAme waY to DO so wiTh a
’s Gettysburg address. “Fi nd some pe opletha t w ou ld b e cr edible and int r oduc e this.” On Tuesday, 5 5-yea r- o ld S a ra  Kell y Keena n  r e c eiv ed  s ome th i ng  in t hemail sh e’s been w ait in g for her en t ir e life: an  ac curate birth  ce rtific at e.Keena n w as bo rn int e rsex,with male  g e nes, f e male ge n i ta liaand mixed interna l  r e productive org ans. N ow ,  K e e nan , w ho uses fe ma le pr o nouns,i sm a k ing history. Hers  is believe d  to  be th efir s t birt h cer ti f ica te ever iss uedin the Un ited S t ates th a t reads  “inte rse x”in t h ege nde rf iel d ,ins t ead  of “mal e”  o r “fe male . ” Sara  Ke llyKeena n Courtesy of  Sa ra K e lly  Keen an

L ambd aLegal  attor ney P au l Castillo comm ende d the New  Yo rk  Ci ty  agen c y “for  is sui ng an a ccurate bir th c e rt ificate.”

“In the  U n i te d States , birt h  c er t ificates  o fte n pr o v ide a cces s  t o a wide  range of  p ublic s er vicesan d c rit icali dent ity do cuments,  such as state IDs a n d passports,” Ca s t il l o sa id.  “Having bi rthc erti fica t es  wi t h gen der d es i gn a tions other than ma le  or fe maleprovides an e normous se n s e  of vali dati o nf or a number of  non- binary and intersex  peop le.”

Li ke many p e o ple born  in ter sex , K e e na n was unaware o f he ranatomi cal  realit y f ormos t o fher adult  life, b ec au se  h erparen t s and do ct ors  a gre ed to keep i t sec ret.  W he n  sh e was b o rn i n Ne wYo rk C ity  a  half -cen t ury  ago, s he was cl ass i fied  a sa boy f or three week s— then sudde nl y i ssueda female b irth certificate.

Back then, i nte rsexpeop le were c all ed “he rma p hrodit es,” a nd do ct ors t ypica l l yrec om mended sur g e ryto ma ke  the m confo rm to one of two g e nde rs. Keenan st art ed a l if eti m eo f h or m one r eplacement ther apy at age  1 6 ,vaguely in f orm ed  that s he was“a gi r l thatcan’t mak e hormone s. ” He r fat her confes sed to h er in 201 2  that do ctors  ha d sugg es ted  a pe nis be con struc ted to  m atch h er ge ni talia to  her male chromosomes,but he  haddec lined. Sh e h a s s ince unde rgon e endocrin olo gic al te sti n g toconf i rm  he r  inte rsex status.
“ No t a l l  i ntersex peo p l e  wi ll ch oos e  to id enti fy legally as int e rsex,” Keenantold N BCOut ,  “an dnot all parent s w il l choose t ohave theirintersex  c h ild i dentif ied as  inters e x  o n  birth  doc ume nts. Butfor  t h ose who  d o, the op tion  m ust ex ist.”Sara K elly Kennan Face bookK eenan sai d she  e mbraces herintersex i dentity and  wants  topavea “lega lway fo r o th er interse x  people w ho ch oose to  e mbra ceit inthes a me wa y to  d o s o with a
’s Gettysburg_address. “Find_some people that would_be credible_and_introduce this.”_On_Tuesday, 55-year-old Sara_Kelly Keenan received_something in the mail_she’s been waiting_for_her entire life: an accurate birth certificate.

Keenan was born intersex, with male genes, female_genitalia_and mixed_internal_reproductive_organs. Now, Keenan, who uses_female pronouns, is making history._Hers is_believed to be the first birth certificate ever_issued_in the United_States that reads “intersex” in the gender field, instead_of “male” or “female.”

Sara Kelly Keenan_Courtesy of Sara_Kelly_Keenan

Lambda_Legal attorney Paul Castillo_commended the New York City agency_“for issuing an accurate birth certificate.”

“In_the United States, birth certificates often provide_access to a wide range of_public services and critical identity_documents, such_as state IDs and passports,”_Castillo said. “Having_birth certificates_with gender designations_other than male or female provides_an enormous sense_of validation for a number of_non-binary_and intersex people.”

Like_many_people_born intersex,_Keenan was unaware_of_her anatomical_reality_for most of her adult life,_because_her parents and doctors agreed to keep_it secret. When she_was_born in New York_City a half-century ago, she_was classified as a boy for_three weeks—then_suddenly issued_a female birth certificate.

Back then, intersex people were called “hermaphrodites,” and_doctors typically recommended surgery to make_them conform to one_of two_genders._Keenan started a_lifetime_of hormone_replacement therapy at age 16, vaguely informed_that she_was “a girl that can’t make_hormones.” Her father confessed_to_her in 2012 that doctors had_suggested a penis be constructed to_match her genitalia to her_male_chromosomes,_but he had declined. She_has since undergone endocrinological testing to_confirm her intersex_status.

“Not all intersex people will choose to_identify_legally as intersex,” Keenan told NBC_Out,_“and not all parents will choose_to_have_their intersex child identified as_intersex on birth documents. But for_those who do, the option must exist.”

Sara Kelly Kennan_Facebook

Keenan said she_embraces her intersex identity and_wants_to_pave a “legal way for other intersex people who choose_to embrace_it in the_same way to do so with a