The U.S. To Add Third, Gender-Inclusive Option On Passports

The U.S. passport and federal IDs are expanding.

As per an announcement from the State Department on Wednesday (June 30), applicants for a passport can now check "M" or "F" for their gender without needing to provide medical certification if that gender doesn't match any of their other documents. In the near future, applicants will also have the option to select a marking that isn't male nor female, fulfilling a campaign promise made by President Joe Biden. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the alteration to the passport process as progression to "further steps toward ensuring the fair treatment of LGBTQI+ U.S. citizens, regardless of their gender or sex.

Nonbinary, intersex or gender nonconforming gender markers are currently not available and the State Department admitted it will take some time to create the third gender option on passports. "The process of adding a gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons to these documents is technologically complex and will take time for extensive systems updates," Blinken continued.