President Donald Trump recently decreed that only two genders would be officially recognized
The US State Department has suspended processing passport applications that select ‘X’ as the gender identifier, several American news outlets have reported, citing a department spokesperson and internal communications. The policy change reverses a 2022 initiative that allowed applicants to select ‘X’ as a gender marker to accommodate non-binary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming individuals.
President Donald Trump has repealed dozens of executive orders signed by his predecessor, Joe Biden, including at least a dozen measures supporting racial equity and LGBTQ rights. He also officially decreed that only two genders, male and female, will be recognized by the US government, adding that these designations cannot be changed.
“In line with that Order, the Department’s issuance of US passports will reflect the individual’s biological sex as defined in the Executive Order,” a State Department spokesperson told CNN and AFP on Friday, adding that applications for passports with the ‘X’ marker have been suspended and that the State Department will no longer issue such documents.
As for those who have already received passports with the marker, the spokesperson said that guidance is “forthcoming.”
ABC News reported, citing internal communications, that passports with the ‘X’ identifier will still be considered valid under the new policy.
The outlet also claimed that people who had called into the State Department’s National Passport Information Center with questions regarding the policy have been told to wait for new guidance before submitting their applications, with more information said to be released “in the coming days.”
The State Department refused to respond to ABC’s reporting on the matter, stating it “does not comment on leaked internal documents.”
The Trump administration framed its changes to diversity and inclusion policies as an effort to remove bias in government initiatives. Trump’s order mandating that only two genders be recognized is meant to create “equal treatment” and requests “a plan to dismantle the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) bureaucracy,” a Trump aide told the New York Post. More actions on DEI that will impact private businesses are reportedly coming soon.
While some corporations have scaled back DEI programs, companies such as Costco and Apple remain committed to them. Others, meanwhile, including Meta, McDonald’s, and Walmart, have significantly reduced their DEI initiatives. Meta recently dismantled its DEI department, citing a shifting legal and policy landscape. McDonald’s has scaled back diversity targets for senior leadership, and Walmart has announced plans to retire certain diversity terms and initiatives.
Civil rights organizations have threatened to challenge the orders through court action and public advocacy.
