President Joe Biden's Administration reportedly issued its first-ever passport with "X" as a gender marker.
The Christian Headlines said the United States Department of State has issued a passport that provides an option for those who identify themselves as a "third gender," meaning as intersex, non-binary, or are gender non-conforming through a marker "X" alongside the traditional "M" and "F" which stand for male and female, respectively.
In a press statement dated October 27, Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said the X gender marker is incorporated into the passport and in Consular Reports of Birth Abroad in part of improving its services to the American people "regardless of their gender identity." The move was first announced in June by State Secretary Antony Blinken as part of the State Department's proposed changes in departmental policies.
"The Department of State is committed to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people - including LGBTQI+ persons. Since assuming office, President Biden has taken several executive actions demonstrating this administration's commitment to human rights and has directed agencies across the U.S. government to take concrete actions to promote and protect the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world," Blinken announced in June in line with the proposal.
The issuance of the passport with the X gender marker is the department's first step on the proposed changes as it intends to offer the same "option to all routine passport applicants" by early 2022 when all the updates in the forms and the required system for it has been implemented.
Price disclosed that the department is working closely with other government agencies for the "smooth" implementation of the said changes and that they have even setup a particular website for it. The said website guides those who will be using the X gender marker on how to fill-up the passport and similar forms and provides answers to a list of Frequently Asked Questions.
"The Department also continues to work closely with other U.S. government agencies to ensure as smooth a travel experience as possible for all passport holders, regardless of their gender identity," Price said.
"I want to reiterate, on the occasion of this passport issuance, the Department of State's commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people--including LGBTQI+ persons," he stressed.
As previously reported, California Representative Rohit Khanna proposed a legislation in February 2020 to add the X gender marker in passports out of "respecting every American's gender" but was deemed "too expensive" by officials. The legislation aimed in making the United States one of the countries--such as Australia, Canada, Germany, and India--who have passports for the third gender.
The proposal was also met with opposition in July by religious leaders such as evangelist Franklin Graham who called it an "absurdity" and an attempt to declare a "war on common sense" and against the truth.
"It is so disappointing that our government would fall for this kind of absurdity. They are now going to add a third possible gender option for people applying for a passport who don't want to identify as a man or a woman. This administration seems to have declared war on common sense, (and) they want everyone to go along (with a) lie," Graham said.
The Biden Administration's move to add the X gender marker in the passport does not come as a surprise. Biden did announce last December that he will fulfill all of the wishes of the LGBTQ activists once he becomes president of the United States. Biden called it as his "top legislative priority," most embodied by the Equality Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives last February.
Many Christians have spoken out against the Equality Act due to its dangerous implications on religious liberty.
