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The Department of State announced the arrival of woke passports in which people can choose their own gender. The measure, published on the Department’s website, refers to an eventual deepening of this same policy.
“Now [the citizen] can select the gender they would like printed on their U.S. passport, even if the selected gender does not match the gender on their supporting documentation” The medical certificate was eliminated as a requirement in case the gender chosen in the passport is not the same as the one in their other identification documents.
However, the measure does not only allow a citizen to choose “male” or “female” at will, but the State Department will include “a gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons as soon as possible.”
The Department further announced that they are taking more steps “to ensure the fair treatment of LGBTQI+ American citizens, regardless of their gender or sex.” The passport portion of the identification system is being updated “with the goal of offering a gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons.”
They added that this update will take time and that while the process is in progress, it will not be possible to apply for a passport for such status.
The purpose of the woke passports
In the FAQ section, the department stated that the reason for this measure is the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to “promote the freedom, dignity and equality of all people, including LGBTQI+ people.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the policy stating that they are “taking important steps to ensure the fair treatment of LGBTQI+ U.S. citizens.”
This policy also applies to minors, meaning that parents can change their child’s gender as they wish, as long as the minor is under 16 years of age.
Rafael Valera, Venezuelan, student of Political Science, political exile in São Paulo, Brazil since 2017 // Rafael Valera, venezolano, es estudiante de Ciencias Políticas y exiliado político en São Paulo, Brasil desde 2017