United States citizens are now free to choose gender other than male, female on passports from April 11.
The third gender marker is for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement, described it as another milestone in its work to better serve all U.S. citizens.
Blinken said LGBTQI+community would now choose X as their gender marker and were no longer required to submit any medical documentation “even if their selected gender differed from their other citizenship or identity documents”.
He said: “Starting on April 11, U.S. citizens will be able to select an X as their gender marker on their U.S. passport application, and the option will become available for other forms of documentation next year.”
The Department of State is the first U.S. government agency to offer the X gender marker on an identity document.
The U.S., the statement said, is consulting with partner countries about gender diversity on their passports.
“Finally, we have worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics to conduct qualitative research on how to define an X gender marker, interviewing a demographically diverse group of individuals, including many members of the LGBTQI+ community. 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 another gender identity.’ This definition is respectful of individuals’ privacy while advancing inclusion.
“We continue to work closely with our federal government partners to ensure as smooth a travel experience as possible for all passport holders, regardless of their gender identity. We have updated our advice to LGBTQI+ travelers: travel.state.gov/lgbtqi. We reaffirm our commitment to promoting and protecting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all persons – including transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons around the world,” Blinken added.
