(CNN) A new law in New York City makes it easier for transgender and non-binary New Yorkers to match their birth certificate to their gender identity without needing a signed affidavit from a healthcare provider.

The law, which went into effect Tuesday, also creates a new label, "X," to reflect a non-binary identity.

"Transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers deserve the right to choose how they identify and to live with respect and dignity," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement released Monday.

"Our city respects your gender identity and the right to have it affirmed on your birth certificate," de Blasio's office echoed in a Tuesday tweet.

Under the law, individuals born in New York City can apply to have the gender marker on their birth certificate changed by submitting a notarized application stating that the revision is to reflect their "true gender identity and is not for any fraudulent purpose."

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