In his presidential campaign, Joe Biden had promised to better take into account the rights of sexual minorities. At least eleven other countries offer this choice for their passports.
Le Monde with AFP
The measure follows Joe Biden’s promises to better take into account the rights of sexual minorities. The United States announced, Wednesday, October 27, having issued the first passport with the kind “x” to a person who does not recognize themselves in the traditional “masculine” or “female” choices.
The US State Department has added a box X for non-binary persons, intersex “and more widely those who do not recognize themselves in the gender criteria proposed so far, announced its spokesman, NED Price. This option will be offered to all passport applicants from the beginning of 2022, he said, reaffirming the commitment of the US diplomacy to “promote the freedom, dignity and equality of all persons”.
At least eleven other countries, including Canada, Germany, Argentina, India and Pakistan, offer the choice “X” or “Other” in their passports, according to Organization Employers Network for Equality and inclusion, headquartered in London.
End of the medical certificate
The State Secretary of the United States, Antony Blinken, had already relaxed the rules in June by allowing American citizens to choose their own gender on their passport. Previously, people who wanted to write a different kind of birth certificate had to provide a medical certificate.
m. Biden has prioritized the defense of the rights of sexual minorities in the world, more than any other President of the United States before him and breaking with his predecessor, Donald Trump.
When he was Secretary of State, between 2018 and 2021, Mike Pompeo had forbidden the US embassies of arranging the rainbow flag, symbol of the LGBT community (lesbians, gays, bisexual and trans) .