The U.S. has just released the FIRST passport with an ‘X’ gender designation.
The U.S. has finally allowed a gender designation different from ‘M’ for male and ‘F’ for female to be filed in a citizen’s passport. This comes as the Department of State continues to update its gender marker policies for passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs), Unilad reports.
Ned Price, a spokesperson for the department, claims this would “better serve all U.S. citizens, regardless of their gender identity.”
According to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, the ‘X’ gender designation is a step in the right direction for emphasizing “our enduring commitment to the LGBTQI+ community today and moving forward.”
Jessica Stern, the U.S. special diplomatic representative for LGBTQ+ rights, described the move as “historic” and “celebratory.”
Stern stated:
“When a person obtains identity documents that reflect their true identity, they live with greater dignity and respect.”
Price continued:
“The Department also continues to work closely with other U.S. government agencies to ensure as smooth a travel experience as possible for all passport holders, regardless of their gender identity.
I want to reiterate, on the occasion of this passport issuance, the Department of State’s commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people – including LGBTQI+ persons.”
The first U.S. passport with an ‘X’ gender designation is believed to have been issued to Dana Zzyym.
Zzyym is an intersex person from Colorado who has been involved in a legal dispute with the department since 2015. They were denied a passport after refusing to check male or female on their application.
The 63-year-old former Navy officer was born with ambiguous physical sexual characteristics and raised as a male. After his service, he began identifying as intersex while working and studying at Colorado State University.
Speaking to Reuters, Zzyym said:
“You can’t stop us anymore. You can’t deny our existence anymore. This is it. We’re here.”
