News

US passports to include ‘X’ gender option

by Olafimihan Oshin - 03/31/22 8:59 AM ET

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday announced that U.S. passports will now include an “X” gender marker.

In a statement, DHS said that the new option will be a part of an update to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck program this year.

The department said that new gender options will allow the TSA’s new system to accurately reflect travelers’ gender and keep pace with identity documents that offer the option as well.

The new program will be offered by all U.S.-based airline carriers, which will promote the use and acceptance of the new gender option, ensuring that the system is more efficient and accurate in passenger processing, according to the statement.

“DHS is committed to protecting the traveling public while ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, is treated with respect,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement. “The new measures announced today are part of a whole-of-government effort to promote equity and inclusion in all our programs and processes. We are proud to work with our interagency partners on this effort and look forward to rapidly implementing these changes to better serve the American public.”

This comes as the DHS also announced new measures to implement an enhanced screening process, add a more efficient, less invasive screening process, and make TSA PreCheck more inclusive.

The DHS announced these new measures on Transgender Day of Visibility.

“On Transgender Day of Visibility, the United States affirms that transgender rights are human rights. We celebrate the achievements and resilience of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons around the world,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. “We recognize their bravery in their hard-fought work for equality, inclusion, and the full recognition of their human rights. We celebrate the diverse expressions of gender and the full diversity of gender identities around the world.”