He State Department of USA has suspended passport processing with a gender marker “X” or non -binaryleaving in uncertainty people who do not strictly identify as men or women. Although documents already issued with this option will remain valid, New requests will not be accepted until new guidelines are issued. According to ABC Newsthis decision responds to an executive order of the president Donald Trumpwhich limits gender recognition at the federal level to the sex assigned to birth.
Change directly affects people intersex, non -binary and gender not satisfiedwhich had found in this option a way to reflect their identity in official documents. The administration of Joe Biden introduced this possibility in 2022 under the direction of the then Secretary of State, Antony Blinkenas part of an inclusion policy. However, the recent measure represents a setback in these advances and has generated reactions in different sectors.
The State Department has not specified how long the suspension of applications will last with “X” marker or if this measure will be definitive. Law experts and gender identity policies warn that The lack of clarity in the implementation of the executive order could generate legal complications and administrative. In addition, some state and local agencies continue to recognize non -binary gender identities in documents such as Driving licenses and birth certificateswhich could cause inconsistencies in the official documentation of many people.
Trump’s executive order establishes that the federal government will only recognize the sex assigned to birthrestricting the definition of “man” and “woman” to reproductive characteristics. In addition, threatens to withdraw federal funds to programs that recognize transgender people or who promote what the president has called “gender ideology.”
According to ABC Newsthe current Secretary of State, Marco Rubiohe instructed his department to suspend passport requests with “X” marker while internal policies are reviewed. Although still There is no official statementinternal documents reviewed by the medium confirm the paralysis of the process. At present, those who try to request a passport with this option are urged to wait for new guidelines, which could be announced in the next few days.
The implementation of the “X” marker in 2022 was a significant advance for people whose gender identity does not fit into traditional categories. The State Department had indicated at the time that this option allowed more precision to reflect the diversity of identities in official documents.
For intersex people, who are born with sexual characteristics that do not conform to the typical definitions of male or female, the recognition of a gender marker other than binary was a crucial measure. However, the suspension of these requests generates uncertainty, since those who wish to obtain a passport with this option or modify their gender in an already issued document must wait for new regulations to be established.
According to ABC Newsthe online application system of the State Department still allows you to select the “X” gender option, which has caused confusion among both applicants and among the employees responsible for the procedures. This lag between official regulations and the digital system has generated frustration and uncertainty in affected people.
The decision of the State Department has been strongly criticized by civil rights organizations and community defense groups LGBTQ+. Legal Lambdaan organization that defends the rights of LGBTQ+people, announced that it is evaluating legal actions against Trump’s executive order. According to the group, this measure Discriminate intersex and non -binary people and hinders its access to precise identification documents.
In a statement, Lambda Legal stressed that the elimination of this option in passports is an obstacle to those who depend on these documents for Travel, work and access essential services. “To deny this option is not only a setback in terms of civil rights, but also puts at risk the safety and well -being of those who need documents that reflect their gender identity,” said the organization.
Some Democratic legislators have also expressed concern about the impact of the measure. The congresswoman PRAMILA JAYAPALCo -president of Progressive Caucus of Congresshe described the decision as “discriminatory and dangerous,” and warned that he could face legal challenges in the courts.
Since its implementation in 2022, the gender score “X” has allowed thousands of people to obtain documents that reflect their identity. A study of Williams Institute of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) He estimated that about 16,700 people could opt for this designation every year.
The introduction of this option coincided with the Transgender visibility dayin a symbolic gesture that underlined the commitment of the administration biden with equality. However, the recent decision of the State Department raises doubts about the continuity of these policies and the scope of Trump’s executive order in other areas of the federal government.
While official guidelines are expected, the National Passport Information Center He has recommended applicants to postpone their procedures if they seek to include the “X” marker. According to ABC Newswho call the center with questions about this option receive ambiguous answers, since the staff has not yet received clear instructions on how to proceed.
The State Department has avoided commenting on the filtered internal documents that confirmed the suspension. “We do not comment on filtered internal documents,” said a agency spokesman, according to ABC News.
