Effective on April 11, 2022, U.S. citizens will have the option to select “X” when selecting their gender option, per Secretary of State Blinken. The secretary also stated that similar options will be available for other forms of documentation in the coming year. The “X” selection is offered as ‘unspecified or another gender identity’, meant to provide privacy and inclusion for all. The offering is a result of research and feedback from community members.
This is part of the effort of the Biden administration to introduce gender-inclusive policies. In addition, partnerships with airlines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Department of Homeland Security are expected. The goal is to provide the “X” gender option for their systems as well.
In June 2021, the State Department stated they planned to update procedures to provide applicants to self-select their sex marker and would no longer require medical certification if the self-selected sex market is different than the sex noted on other official documents. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries also offer gender-inclusive passport policies. Similar options are being provided for at least 20 U.S. states within the U.S. for state-level forms.
ILBSG continues to monitor ongoing policy updates. If you have questions about any immigration-related issue, contact us at any time.
