WASHINGTON — In an announcement designed to coincide with “International Trans Day of Visibility,” the Department of Homeland Security announced new measures designed to make travel more comfortable for transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming travelers, including adding an “X” gender marker option for passports.
In a news release, DHS said the “X” gender marker option would be available on U.S. passports beginning April 11, and that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would be updating its PreCheck program to also include an “X” gender marker.
“After thoughtful consideration of the research conducted and feedback from community members, we concluded that the definition of the X gender marker on State Department public forms will be ‘Unspecified or other gender identity.’ This definition is respectful of individuals’ privacy while advancing inclusion,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement to CNN.
On #TransDayofVisibility, DHS is announcing new measures to better serve all Americans, regardless of their gender identity.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 31, 2022
Read more these new efforts, including updates from @TSA & @CBP ⬇️https://t.co/fdvLtILOoq
In October, the State Department issued the first U.S. passport with an “X” gender marker after a U.S. Navy veteran Dana Zzyym, who was born with ambiguous sexual characteristics and identifies as intersex, filed a lawsuit against the government in 2015, as we previously reported. The person who received that passport, however, was not identified.
In June, the State Department announced it would allow passport applicants to select either “M” or “F” for their gender without medical certification if the gender did not match that on their other documents.
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