Biden Administration To Give US Citizens Gender-Neutral Option On Passports
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In addition to a third gender option being provided on US passports, there will be no need for medical certification in the changing of the listed gender on the document.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained, ‘With this action, I express our enduring commitment to the LGBTQI+ community today and moving forward.’
The announcement comes after a series of LGBTQI+ legislation was approved by the Biden administration over the course of Pride Month.
The US is following the example of the likes of Canada, Germany, Denmark and India by offering a gender-neutral option in its passports. States and cities within the US, including New York, already allow Americans to opt for a third gender on identification cards.
This change in legislation appears to be an effort by the Biden administration to promote equality and unify policy across the US.
On the last day of Pride Month, Blinken said in a statement:
The Department of State is committed to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people — including LGBTQI+ persons.
Most immediately, we will be updating our procedures to allow applicants to self-select their gender as ‘M’ or ‘F’ and will no longer require medical certification if an applicant’s self-selected gender does not match the gender on their other citizenship or identity documents.
Blinken added that the government has ‘begun moving towards adding a gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons applying for a passport or CRBA [Consular Reports of Birth Abroad]’.
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