Democratic Party Changes Rules for Nonbinary People

At the Democratic National Committee's gathering in Chicago this weekend, members adopted language inclusive of nonbinary people; those who neither identify as male or female.

The change was made to the DNC's new charter, which requires all party committees be equally divided between genders. Previously, every member had to identify as male or female; now nonbinary individuals will not be counted in the tally of men and women.

"At the root of our diverse party is a commitment to inclusion and opportunity," DNC Chair Tom Perez said in a statement to CNN. "By adopting this amendment, the Democratic National Committee is ensuring every Democrat feels welcome and embraced for who they are. This action reaffirms our solidarity with the LGBTQ community and challenges governments, employers, and organizations across the country to do the same."

DNC Secretary Jason Rae, who helped author the changes, said the new rules are meant to make the party as inclusive as possible. At the convention, Democrats also notably reduced the powers of "superdelegates,"; members given an outsize role in picking the party's presidential nominee.