US Passports Will Now Offer Gender-Neutral X Markers For Trans And Non-Binary People
One of the things that most companies and governments tend to get flack for is not being inclusive enough or being performative with their inclusivity. And I honestly believe most of them actually deserve it considering that these organizations give little to no representation to the LGBTQ+ community throughout the year except for the times when they are “trending”. However, the US is trying to make a change as they have recently announced that they will be including gender-neutral X markers in their passports.
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The citizens of the United States will have the option of choosing a gender-neutral X marker in their passports starting from April 11. According to a statement by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, this option will be extended to other government documentation by next year. The statement by Blinken said that the X marker on the passport will be for “Unspecified or another gender identity”. He further added that this will enable the person to maintain their privacy while also being inclusive.
The State Department had mentioned that they will be adding a third gender marker. However, no date had been specified for this change. They also stated that passport holders would be allowed to select their own gender without a need for medical evidence, in case the gender on their other documents do not match the one they identify with.
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According to reports, Joni Madison, who is the president of the Human Rights Campaign claimed that this was one of the changes made by the Biden government which will improve the lives of transgender and non-binary people. The announcement came on the Transgender Day of Visibility amidst a time in the US that is very tumultuous for trans people and people from the LGBTQ+ community.
I for one am very excited about this change. While many states in the US are rushing to enforce measures that discredit the LGBTQ+ experiences and shut down their voices, it is amazing to see the American Government do their bid in trying to be inclusive of one’s gender identity.
