The LGBTQ+ community is celebrating as New York lawmakers approved a law that expands gender options on driving licenses and birth certificates.

Under a law that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed on Thursday, New Yorkers will be able to designate their sex as “female,” “male” or “X” on driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

“New York State is the progressive capital of the nation. I believe that. My father believed that before me,” he said. “It’s our legacy.”

The new law is called the Gender Recognition Act that allows New Yorkers to designate their gender as “X” on their gender identity on other official documents.

The “X” indicates nonbinary, intersex, undesignated, or other genders.

“Every New Yorker deserves to be free from discrimination and has state-issued identification and processes that respect them for who they are, recognize their gender identity, and protect their safety, New York continues to lead the way in ensuring LGBTQ people are treated equally in every part of the law and society,” Cuomo said in a statement.

The law also makes it easier for transgender individuals to change their names without discrimination by removing a requirement for New Yorkers to publish their name change, address, birthplace, and birthdate in a newspaper within 60 days of the change.

They can also ask to seal related documents because of the risk of violence or discrimination.

New York City allows people to update their birth certificate and select a nonbinary “X” option it also includes the use of the term “parent” for the first time.

Neighboring New Jersey added the gender-neutral “X” option for driver’s licenses and ID cards in April.

Bill supporters, including Democratic sponsors Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell, said it’s too hard for transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex New Yorkers to obtain accurate ID documents needed to access health care, employment, travel, housing, and education.

The introduction of the act on June 26 came exactly 10 years after the US Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage and legalized the practice in all 50 states.

It is among two dozen laws at the state level that recognize non-binary and transgender individuals in the US.

Danny O’Donnell, New York Assembly member, called the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act “a milestone in our fight to secure LGBTQ rights”, and said it “will make life safer for trans individuals, reduce stigma, and affirm trans individuals’ identities.”

“Our work for equal rights is far from over, but we have proven that love is love, that trans lives matter, and that we are ready for the fights ahead,” O’Donnel said.

“Today, we celebrate love and equality,” O’Donnel tweeted. “On the 10 year anniversary of marriage equality, we can look back with pride on how that victory laid the groundwork for a decade of progress to protect and support the LGBTQ community.”

Meanwhile, Donna Lieberman, New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director said:

“The Gender Recognition Act won’t just allow people to access accurate identity documents, it will bring an end to the government-sanctioned stigma, red tape, and discrimination that has accompanied New Yorkers seeking identity documents that reflect who they are for far too long.”

According to the Williams Institute, professional individuals at the University of California, Los Angeles, as many as 476,000 transgender adults do not put their preferred gender identity included on a driver’s license or state ID. If accurate, it would amount to 34 percent of the whole transgender population of the US.

President Joe Biden had recently issued a proclamation to mark the start of Pride Month on June 1, encouraging Congress to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination by passing the Equality Act and pointing to a lack of protection of their rights in many states.

Cuomo often marks the passage of marriage equality as one of the crowning achievements of his tenure in office so far.

“America is a work in progress, but New York leads the way, it’s our courage that keeps pushing for change and pushing that dream of equality and taking that next step forward,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo signed the bill on the 10th-year anniversary of the Marriage Equality Act of 2011 which legalized civil marriages for same-sex couples, a milestone moment for the LGBTQ rights movement.

The new law also fell towards the end of Pride Month, which is celebrated throughout June. It will take effect in 180 days.