Members of U.S. Congress Demand Gender-Neutral Travel Documents

Eighteen House Democrats, including California Congressman Adam Schiff, want the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to add the “X” gender marker available as an option on all U.S. passport applications and Trusted Travelers programs. 

The letter was sent to the two separate departments on Tuesday after a nonbinary resident in California reached out to Congressman Schiff’s office to get an emergency passport appointment with an ‘X’ gender marker.

A spokesperson for Schiff told the Washington Blade in an email: “Right now you can only get rush passport service with the ‘X’ gender marker at one passport agency in D.C., so if they had gone through the L.A. passport agency, they only would have been able to get a passport with the M or F gender marker. Our office was able to resolve the case successfully, but it inspired our team to figure out a legislative solution that will help LGBTQI+ individuals access these services in the future.”

U.S. passports with an “X” gender marker became available on April 11; however, this was only for U.S. passports and TSA PreCheck applications. The “X” option for LGBTQ+ travelers was not implemented for a wide range of passport services and application forms, including the rush, non-routine, and Trusted Traveler programs such as Global Entry that are currently accessible to other travelers. 

LGBTQ+ and intersex advocacy groups – including the Human Rights Campaign, The National Center for Transgender Equality, and the Trevor Project – endorsed the letter requesting the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security for:

• Solidified and accelerated implementation of the “X” gender marker option for passport cards, emergency passports printed at embassies and consulates, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) and on Trusted Traveler Programs forms
  
• A public date by which the “X” gender marker will be available for applicants for all passport services and application forms

No word yet from officials at the U.S. State Department or the Department of Homeland Security on the letter or the request to add the “X” gender marker option to all passport-related services.