On February 7, seven transgender and non-binary people filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive order banning the State Department from issuing passports with “X” gender markers.
Ashton All, Zaya Perisian, Sawyer Sue, Chastain Anderson, Drew Hall, Bella Beau, and Reed Solomon Lane are the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU in Massachusetts, and private law firm Covington & The plaintiff in Burling’s class action lawsuit, LPP filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The lawsuit names Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as defendants.
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.
The State Department’s policies came into effect on April 11, 2022.
Trump signed an executive order that overturned it shortly after taking office on January 20th. Rubio later instructed State Department officials to “suspend applications requesting ‘x’ sex markers and not take any further steps that have pending additional guidance from the department.”
“This guidance applies to all ongoing and future applications,” reads Rubio’s note. “Guidelines regarding existing passports, including sex markers for “X” are provided via other channels. ”
The lawsuit says Trump’s executive order is “a sudden discriminatory and dangerous reversal of resolved US passport policies.” He also concluded that the new policy is “illegal and unconstitutional.”
“It discriminates against individuals based on gender, and, in regards to some people, about their transgender status,” reads the lawsuit. “It is motivated by unacceptable animus. It cannot be justified under judicial scrutiny, and the reality that it exists as trans, intersex, and non-binary people always have. I’m trying to erase it by mistake.”
Solomon Lane, who lives in North Adams, Massachusetts, said in an ACLU press release with her spouse and three children, “I have lived my entire adult life as a man,” and “my.” Everyone in their personal and professional life knows.” I am a man and any stranger on the streets who met me would consider me a man. ”
“Eight years after the transition, I thought I could live my life safely and easily,” he said. “Now as a three-married father, Trump’s executive order and subsequent passport policies threaten life with safety and ease.”
“If my passport reflects a sex designation that conflicts with who I am, I force myself to go outside every time I use my passport for travel or identification, and my safety and family safety, will pose a potential risk to the Solomon Lane added.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
