In today’s Blog update, we’ll be sharing the good news of the introduction of Gender ‘X’ in the US passport.
The United States unites with a handful of countries and recently issued the first passport to an individual who comes under the new Gender ‘X’. Thousands of US citizens who have been anticipating this change can now choose ‘X” as their gender, which is a massive relief for many. Gender ‘X’ is for individuals who identify as non-binary, intersex, or gender-nonconforming. Other nations that have already included this change are Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Nepal.
Why Was Gender ‘X’ Added To US Passports?
The addition of Gender ‘X’ was big news to numerous individuals in the LGBTQ+ who are expecting to live comfortably by being who they are. This transformation arrived after a discrimination lawsuit by Dana Zzyym, an intersex and nonbinary Colorado resident who claimed it was impossible to acquire a passport with their accurate gender as “female” and “male” were the only options.
In June, the US State Department stated that they were working towards including a third gender marker for nonbinary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people, but that would take time because of needed updates to its computer systems. In addition, a department official stated that the passport application and system update with the “X” designation option still expected approval from the Office of Management and Budget, which signs off on all government forms.
The department now permits applicants to self-select their gender as male or female, no longer needing them to provide medical certification if their gender did not correspond to that listed on their other identification documents.
The State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated that the Department of State is committed to promoting all people’s freedom, dignity, and equality – including LGBTQI+ persons.
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