US halts issuing passports with gender-neutral ‘X’ marker following Trump’s order

• The United States has halted the issuance of passports with ‘X’ gender-neutral marker following President Donald Trump’s order
• Trump signed an executive order on Monday requiring federal agencies to recognise only two genders
• The gender-neutral passport was first issued in October 2021 under President Joe Biden

Following United States President Donald Trump’s order of government’s non-recognition of transgender identity, the State Department has stopped issuing passports with a gender-neutral “X” option.

The halting of the gender-neutral markers on passports reverses the option, first introduced under former President Joe Biden’s administration in October 2021.

It also leaves several people awaiting further guidance on the fate of their pending applications and already-issued passports.

A US State Department spokesperson said on Friday, January 24, that updates will be posted on the department’s travel website.

The spokesperson said, “In line with that Order, the Department’s issuance of US passports will reflect the individual’s biological sex as defined in the Executive Order.”

The spokesperson said “The department is no longer issuing US passports with X markers” and has “suspended processing of all applications seeking a different sex marker than that defined by the terms in the Executive Order.

“Guidance regarding previously issued X sex marker passports is forthcoming.”

Gender-neutral passport was first issued in October 2021

The first passport with the X designation was issued by the State Department in October 2021 after a long legal battle waged by a person from Colorado who is intersex.

The State Department then began regular processing of X passports in early 2022.

Trump signed executive order recognising only two genders

Shortly after taking office on Monday, January 20, President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to only give male or female options.

The executive order was one of the many signed by Trump to reverse some of the policies enacted by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

During his presidential campaign, Trump showed contempt for transgender policies, especially those related to women’s sports and medical care for children, and against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The US president ordered an immediate halt to federal DEI programmes, anti-discrimination policies, and recognition of transgender identity after taking over office.

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