Pregnant non-binary person takes legal action not to be called mother in birth certificate

David Paul Ramharak-Peters and Ryan Ramharak are expecting a child, but shortly after the birth of the child the married couple will go to court to contest that Ramharak, who is carrying the child, will be registered as the mother in the birth certificate, NOS reported.

Ramharak identifies, like four percent of people in the Netherlands, as non-binary. That means they neither feel fully male or female. The 29-year-old does not want to be labeled as the mother in the birth certificate of their child. “I don’t feel like the mother or the father but like the parent”, Ramharak said.

The terminology is important for the outside world, according to Ramharak. “It is about how you are addressed in the outside world. For example, when you go to register your child for school. Then, it is convenient to have papers that reflect that you are the parent.

The couple planned to begin the proceedings shortly after the birth of their child.

Ramharak became aware of how important terminology is when they changed their name after transitioning a few years ago. “I noticed the importance of such a certificate. If it is registered wrong from the start then, that is pretty messed up.”

The couple already decided how they want their child to call them. “Ryan will be baba and David will be papa”, Ramharack said. Ramharak-Peters wants to be registered as the father in the birth certificate.

The couple hopes that in the future all parents will have the right to choose how they want to be registered in the birth certificate. Ramharak has also been waiting to get an X in their passport instead of being listed as male or female. “Hopefully, the X will help me later to register as the parent instead of the mother”, Ramharak said.