The beginning of the third gender era: the first passport was issued in the USA with the indication of the gender 'X'

The United States issued the first gender-X passport, marking a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who do not identify as men or women. Writes about it Associated Press.

Photo: Shutterstock

The State Department did not disclose the identity of the recipient of the passport. The reporters were able to find out that the person who received it was an intersex activist from Fort Collins, Colorado, Dana Zzim.

Since 2015, this man, who prefers a gender-neutral pronoun, has been in litigation with the Department of State for a passport that does not require lying about gender when choosing a gender between a man and a woman.

The 63-year-old said that getting a passport was exciting, but the goal was to help the next generation of intersex people gain recognition as citizens.

“I'm not a problem. I’m human,” Zzim declares.

"X" was born with ambiguous physical sex characteristics, but grew up, although as a child he underwent several operations, as a result of which he did not look completely male. Zzym served in the Navy as a man, but later identified as intersex while working and studying at Colorado State University. The State Department’s refusal to issue a gender “X” passport made the man unable to attend two meetings of the International Organization of Intersex People. Now Zzim can go to meetings and fishing in Costa Rica.

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Lawyers said that the decision by the United States authorities to join more than a dozen countries where third-gender selection is allowed will allow people to travel as real individuals and, possibly, give these people more security.

“Intersex, non-binary and transgender people need identification documents that accurately reflect their identity, and mismatched documents can create security issues,” said Mary Emily O'Hara of GLAAD, the world's largest LGBTQ organization.

Jessica Stern, US Special Envoy for LGBTQ Rights, said the decision aligns government documents with the "living reality" that there is a broader spectrum of human sex characteristics than is reflected in the two ingrained designations.

“When a person receives identification documents that reflect their true identity, they live with greater dignity and respect,” says Stern.

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In June, the Department of State said the department was moving towards adding a third gender marker for non-binary, intersex and gender-non-conforming people, but that it will take time due to the necessary updates to computer systems. In addition, a department official said the passport application and system update with the 'X' gender designation option is still awaiting approval from the Office of the Budget Office, which signs all government forms.

The department now allows applicants to independently choose their gender as male or female and no longer requires them to provide medical certificates if their gender does not match the gender indicated on their other identity documents.

Stern said her office plans to share the US experience with the world and hopes it can help inspire other governments to propose this option.

“We see this as a way to affirm the human rights of trans and intersex people, as well as gender non-conforming and non-binary people around the world,” she concluded.

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