Wednesday, October 27, 2021

US Issues Its First Passport with X Gender Designation to Reflect ‘Lived Reality’

THE GUARDIAN: Diplomatic envoy for LGBTQ rights said it’s a matter of ‘dignity and respect’

The White House is lit in pride colors in Washington DC in 2015. Photograph: Molly Riley/AFP/Getty Images

The US has issued its first passport with an “X” gender designation – a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who don’t identify as male or female – and expects to be able to offer the option more broadly next year, the state department said on Wednesday.

The US special diplomatic envoy for LGBTQ rights, Jessica Stern, called the moves historic and celebratory, saying they brought 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.

“When a person obtains identity documents that reflect their true identity, they live with greater dignity and respect,” Stern said. » | Associated Press | Wednesday, October 27, 2021