First US Passport Issued with ‘X’ Gender Marker

The United States has issued its first passport with an ‘X’ gender marker, acknowledging the rights of people who do not identify as male or female, the State Department wrote in a recent press release.

The department said in a statement that it would expand the gender-neutral option to all applicants next year after it updates its policies on passports and US citizenship certificates for children born abroad. It said it was working with other government agencies to ‘ensure as smooth a travel experience as possible for all passport holders, regardless of their gender identity.’

A department spokeswoman declined to identify the recipient of the passport, citing privacy considerations. Lambda Legal, a national civil rights organization, tweeted that the passport had been issued to Dana Zzyym, a military veteran who is intersex.