The United States Department of State announced on Wednesday the issuance of the first passport with the marker X in the gender designation for those who do not identify as male or female.
In a statement, Department spokesman Ned Price said he hopes this option can be offered to all passport applicants on a widespread basis “by early 2022.”
The United States Government has not revealed the identity of the person who obtained this first passport with marker X.
Price took advantage of this announcement to reiterate the “commitment of the State Department to promote the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people, including LGBTQI + people.”
The United States thus joins a small group of countries, such as Australia or Canada, that allow their citizens to designate a gender other than male or female on passports.
Since President Joe Biden came to power in January this year, the president has made defending the rights of the LGBTQI community one of his priorities, in stark contrast to his predecessor, Donald Trump (2017-2021).