Dutch court says its time to recognize 3rd gender

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- A court in the Netherlands says that lawmakers should recognize a neutral, third gender, in a groundbreaking ruling for a person who does not identify as male or female.

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The court in the southern city of Roermond said Monday that the person's gender could not be definitively determined at birth. The person was registered as male but later had treatment to become a woman and successfully applied to have her gender officially changed to female.

However the applicant later sought to be listed as a "third gender" - neither male nor female.

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The court said in a statement that "the time is ripe for recognition of a third gender," adding that "it is now up to lawmakers."

Transgender activists hailed the ruling as a revolutionary step in Dutch law.