Biden Administration Announces Passport Reforms to Include Gender ‘X’ Marker, Remove Anti-Trans Barriers

The Biden-Harris administration today announced major policy changes in the US passport system to ensure that transgender people have accurate passports.

The US State Department will add an “X” gender marker to the ID document and eliminate the medical requirement for a person to change the gender marker on their passport and consular forms. NCTE is proud to have advocated for these reforms for years.

“Having accurate passports and consistent ID is critical to daily life,” Heng-Lehtinen said. “It’s necessary for travel, banking, starting a new job and school. Inaccurate IDs open transgender people up to harassment and discrimination. Reforming US passports is a common-sense way to improve the lives of transgender people.”

According to NCTE’s US Trans Survey, only 11% of respondents reported that all of their IDs had the name and gender they preferred, while more than two-thirds (68%) reported that none of their IDs had the name and gender they preferred.

Nearly one-third (32%) of respondents who have shown an ID with a name or gender that did not match their gender presentation were verbally harassed, denied benefits or service, asked to leave, or assaulted.

“President Biden continues to deliver on important issues facing transgender Americans,” Heng-Lehtinen said. “With today’s announcements, the federal government is taking significant steps to ensure transgender Americans can more fully participate in their communities and in public life.”