Just heard this on the national news, so be aware if you (or someone you know) need to get a passport app processed in a timely manner (and would have otherwise opted to indicate X as your sex:):
The US State Department has stopped processing passport applications with “X” gender markers following an executive order from President Donald Trump which states that the US recognizes only two sexes: male and female..
I'm very sorry to hear that, but not surprised. Thanks for the info, Maggie.
Thanks for alerting readers to this change, Maggie.
Thanks for the heads up.
For purposes of clarification, persons who choose "X" (unspecified or another gender identity) are not necessarily transgender. I don't know the statistics on the exact numbers, but I would guess that quite a few transgender people would choose male or female, according to their gender (which is not the gender assigned to them at birth).
Lexma, thank you. You expanded my knowledge. Assume that would apply to pronouns, too. The few people I have met that are transgender prefer the they/them, but I do realize preferences vary.
I have no idea...but I would guess "it would be the case," that if someone had already submitted an application (with the choice of X made) that had not yet been approved that it might come to a screech halt under this new directive. That would be very frustrating to me, if something like that unexpectedly happened.
Would have been nice if warning of effective "such and such date in the future" had been provided vs. immediately.
Courtesy is always a good thing IMO.
It appears to not be just a matter of one can't use "X" for gender. It looks like any trans person has to use their biological birth sex on all renewals and new issue passports. Without regard for how they have changed and appear. What's next - trans foreigners can't enter the US if their passport shows "X"?
Thanks for the update. If people need protection, feel free to reach out to those of us in Europe.
I have friends who have transgendered or are in the process of doing so - some prefer pronouns that align with their appearance and others prefer “they/them”. And there are those who feel their gender is simply nonbinary.
To keep the discussion focused and avoid it veering into a political conversation, I’ve had to edit or remove some comments.
Thank you, Marta, for taking that time and not just deleting the whole thread.
