Transgender Identity in the US: 'Passport X' Applications Allowed
Participants in a demonstration for LGBT+ rights in Hollywood in the United States.
AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
A “gender neutral” passport?
It is now possible in the United States.
For those who do not recognize themselves in the gender categories "male" or "female", the State Department authorized, this Monday, April 11, the issuance of passports "neither male, nor female" with a third option , the “genus X”.
A victory for the non-binary community.
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With our correspondent in the United States,
David Thomson
At his high school in Orlando, Florida, 17-year-old Will sometimes wears a skirt, other times pants.
Today, it's ripped jeans and a sequined tank top.
Born in a male body, this bisexual adolescent does not recognize himself in the traditional male or female genders;
it identifies itself as non-binary.
“
I'm non-binary
,” he says.
I don't identify as a man or a woman.
I do not care actually ;
you can call me boy, girl or whatever you want.
»
Third option
Like Will, there are more than 1.2 million non-binaries in the United States.
Until now, non-binaries had no administrative existence.
Now they can get their own passport.
A document on which was added a third option for the choice of sex, an "X" box, for "neutral" gender, in addition to "masculine" or "feminine".
“
It's so important to have this third option
, says Will,
because it's an official document.
So it validates the existence of the non-binary community.
20 years ago, it's as if gays didn't exist.
And today they are making a "gender neutral" passport.
It shows the extraordinary path our community has taken!
»
Generalized gender
The State Department launched these neutral passports after the court victory of a non-binary Colorado resident.
The "neutral" type will soon be generalized to all administrative documents in the United States.
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To read also: United States: the governor of Florida signs the law prohibiting talking about homosexuality at school
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