On April 25, Lambda Regal filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of seven trans and non-binary people who are challenging the Trump Vance administration’s passport policy.
The lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Maryland district of Baltimore argues a policy prohibiting the State Department from issuing passports with “X” gender markers.
Two of the seven plaintiffs – Jill Tran and Peter Poeh live in Maryland. The State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the federal government are defendants.
“Discriminatory passport policies expose transgender US citizens to harassment, abuse and discrimination.
Zander Schlacter, a New York-based textile artist and designer, is the leading plaintiff.
The lawsuit points out that he legally changed his name and gender in New York.
Schlacter “used form a rapid application to renew his legal name with his passport using Form DS-5504,” a week before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump signed an executive order that banned the State Department from issuing passports with “X” gender markers after he took office. The lawsuit points out that Shracter received his new passport in February.
“He has his correct legal name on his passport, but now the “F” or “female” sex marker is incorrect,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Shracter also notified him from the State Department that “the date of birth, date of birth, name, or gender has been revised in the passport application,” notifying him that “sex” is surrounded by red.
“I, like many trans people, experience the fear of harassment and violence when traveling through public places, especially when photo ID is required,” said Shracter, a press release that released the lawsuit. “My safety is at even greater risk due to my inaccurate passport. I am reluctant to threaten myself and my family to the threat of harassment and discrimination at the hands of border officials and those who view my passport.”
In June 2021, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the State Department would begin issuing gender-neutral passports and documents for foreign-born American citizens.
Dana Zzyym, an intersex U.S. Navy veteran who identifies as non-binary, filed a federal lawsuit against the State Department in 2015 after denying an application for a passport for the “X” gender marker. In October 2021, Zzyym was awarded his first gender neutral American passport.
Lambda Legal represented Zzyym.
The State Department’s policies came into effect on April 11, 2022.
Trump signed an executive order shortly after taking office in January. Germany, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands are among the countries that issued travel advisories for trans and non-binary people who are planning to visit the US
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction against the executive order. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of seven trans and non-binary people.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
