The United States issues the first gender neutral “X” passport

The United States issued the first gender-neutral passport.

The document has an “X” in the gender box, indicating that the holder does not identify himself as either male or female.

He was released to Dana Zzyym, a 66-year-old intersex activist, who sued the State Department over the matter in 2015.

The US Navy veteran said it was “an exciting time for me” after getting the new passport. “I can go places and say ‘yes, this is who I am’.”

Zymm, who identifies as non-binary, was previously denied a passport after failing to mark male or female in an application.

Before getting the new passport, Zymm said “I felt like I was in prison”.

“You have been denied the status of a human being and it is as if I were not a citizen of this country because I was denied access to leave and only criminals and prisoners cannot travel.”

In June, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the X indicator would be offered as an option on passports.

Before, people needed medical certification to mark their gender as different from the one on their birth certificate.

More than 10 countries, including Canada, Germany, Australia and India, already offer a third genre on documents.

The State Department already allows people to independently select male or female on their passport and says it plans to make a third gender option widely available.

“I want to reiterate, on the occasion of this passport release, the State Department’s commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity and equality of all people, including LGBTQI + people,” said spokesman Ned Price.

The move, which empowers non-binary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming US citizens, is the latest move on President Joe Biden’s LGBT agenda.

The president has appointed a special envoy, Jessica Stern, to promote LGBT human rights around the world.

Ms Stern said the new gender designation should reduce “the dehumanizing harassment and mistreatment that so often occurs at border crossings when a person’s legal documentation does not match their gender expression.”