The United States joins a handful of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Nepal and Canada, in allowing its citizens to designate a gender other than male or female on their passports. The United States is issuing its first passport with an “X” gender designation which is a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who don’t identify as male or female.
The State Department for LGBTQ said it “expects the passport to be able to offer the option to nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming people early next year.”The U.S.’ special diplomatic envoy for LGBTQ rights, Jessica Stern, called the moves historic and celebratory.Stern said they bring the government documents in line with the “lived reality” that there is a wider spectrum of human sex characteristics than is reflected in the previous two designations.She added that her office planned to talk about the U.S.′ experience with the change in its interactions around the world and she hopes that might help inspire other governments to offer the option.Stern said, “We see this as a way of affirming and uplifting the human rights of trans and intersex and gender-nonconforming and nonbinary people everywhere.“When a person obtains identity documents that reflect their true identity, they live with greater dignity and respect.”The department did not announce to whom the passport was issued.
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The Department had earlier announced in June that it was moving toward adding a third gender marker but said it would take time because it required extensive updates to its computer systems.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry