President Donald Trump has signed an executive order titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” mandating that the federal government recognize only two genders: male and female. This directive has immediate implications for non-binary individuals and their identification documents.
Under the Biden administration, U.S. citizens had the option to select an ‘X’ gender marker on their passports, accommodating those who identify as non-binary. However, following the new executive order, Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed State Department staff to suspend processing applications requesting an ‘X’ gender marker or changes to existing gender markers.
In an internal email obtained by The Guardian, Rubio emphasized that “the policy of the United States is that an individual’s sex is not changeable,” and that “sex, and not gender, will be used” on official documents, including passports and consular reports of birth abroad.
This policy change affects both current and future passport applications. While passports already issued with an ‘X’ gender marker remain valid for now, individuals seeking to update or obtain such travel documents may face challenges. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has cautioned that new applications may result in the loss of access to one’s passport and documents during processing.
The executive order also impacts other areas, such as housing assignments in federal prisons, where transgender women will no longer be housed in female facilities.
Critics argue that these directives lack a clear plan and question the necessity of forcing discordance between a person’s gender identity and documentation, while conservatives uphold it as essential for distinguishing sexes to prevent harm from blurred gender ideologies.
As the situation evolves, individuals affected by these changes are advised to consult with legal experts and advocacy groups to understand their rights and navigate the new regulations.
