Trump fails with passport requirements for transgender people

On Thursday, the Federal Appeals Court rejected the Trump administration's attempt to stop issuing passports that do not match the biological sex of US citizens. According to the appeals court, the State Department must continue to follow the existing rules.

Before Trump, the agency had allowed gender changes on passports for more than 30 years. In 2022, President Joe Biden's administration introduced the option of choosing the neutral designation “X.”

The lawsuit refers to an executive order signed by Trump after he took office on January 20. It requires federal agencies to recognize only two biological genders—male and female.

The State Department therefore changed its policy and now requires passport applicants to indicate their biological sex at birth and to be registered as either male or female.

(reuters, est)