Third gender

The Austrian Alex Yirgen officially received papers verifying that he belongs to the third gender.

"For the first time in my life I feel recognized by the law," Alex said, pointing to the papers. He was born with atypical chromosomes. So far, there has been no room for the people who are neither men nor women, Yergen said.

Germany’s top court on Nov. 7 required parliament to recognize a “third gender” from birth, potentially making it the first European country to offer intersex people the option of identifying as neither male nor female.

California could become the U.S. state with the most fluid definition of gender on its official state IDs if a bill making its way through the legislature becomes law.

Gone are the days when there were only two genders, male and female. Now there are 31 — at least there are in New York City, where it is illegal to discriminate against anyone on account of their sex — male, female or “something else entirely.”