The U.S. Department of State has stopped processing applications for passports that feature the “X” gender marker. As it stands, passports will only be processed and issued for individuals identifying explicitly as male or female, a spokesperson for the department confirmed.
This recent action follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order establishes the current official stance of the U.S. government by mandating the recognition of only two genders – male and female.
In conjunction with this order, the Department will now issue U.S. passports that reflect an individual’s biological sex as defined by the executive order, the spokesperson highlighted.
Moreover, the processing of applications that request the X marker is now on hold and the issuance of passports with this designation has ceased.
The spokesperson noted that further information regarding the future of the previously issued X marker passports will be provided soon.
The executive order marks a reversal of changes initiated under the Biden administration, which had aimed to accommodate non-binary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming individuals starting in April 2022. It had allowed Americans to select “X” as their gender marker.
Moving forward, the federal government will substitute the term “gender” with “sex,” defined as “an individual’s immutable biological classification,” according to a Trump administration official.
The executive directive mandates all government agencies to ensure that official documents – including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards – faithfully represent the holder’s biological sex. This policy will similarly apply to employee records and all federal departments’ communications.
It appears that passports previously issued with the X marker are still valid and can be used for international travel, but individuals having chosen the X marker should remain current on the news to ascertain future validity.