Germany on Friday will become only the second country, after Australia, to allow parents to leave the gender blank on a child's birth certificate, as people born without a clear sex gain more rights and recognition, especially in Europe.

The European Union cited so-called intersex people in June for the first time in its antidiscrimination guidelines. A month later, Australia adopted guidelines saying people filling out any official forms should be able to choose male, female or "X."

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