American intersex people successfully obtained the first gender "X" passport. Originally, both Indian and Pakistani passports can choose "third gender"?

Written by: Nana

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The United States issued the first passport in history with an "X" in the gender column in October this year, and announced that citizens can choose not to indicate their gender in their passports as soon as early next year, and do not need to submit a medical certificate, which means non-binary people such as intersex people. Gender options may be determined at your own discretion in the future. This reform in the United States did not come easily. Dana ZZyym, a retired intersex person who obtained the first gender "X" passport, fought a lawsuit with the government for six years in order to defend his gender identity. Admit that we are all human beings, we have not disappeared!” In addition to the United States, it turns out that at least 15 countries around the world offer a “third gender” option in their passports, including India, Pakistan and Nepal.

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Six-year-old intersex veteran becomes the first in history

ZZyym, a 63-year-old retired U.S. Navy veteran, once left the gender column on his birth certificate blank because of the difficulty in distinguishing between male and female reproductive organs at birth. Later, his parents decided to raise him as a boy, and arranged multiple "corrective" surgeries for his sexual organs until the parents were satisfied with the results and felt "male enough". However, the operation brought pain such as urine leakage and scars, which became ZZyym's nightmare. In 2014, ZZyym was preparing to attend the International Intersex Conference in Mexico City. When applying for a passport, he hoped to add options other than male and female to the gender column of the application form to truthfully reflect the individual's gender identity; but the authorities refused , so ZZyym decided to sue the government the following year and started a six-year litigation journey. In 2020, the court ruled that the government's refusal to issue a "third-gender" passport to ZZyym was improper, and asked the relevant authorities to reconsider its situation.

Until June this year, the U.S. State Department finally announced that it would add an option "X" that does not indicate gender in the gender column of the U.S. passport and Consular Report of Birth Abroad, so that citizens of various gender identities can make their own decisions. Non-binary people such as sexual and transgender people will benefit; State Department spokesman Ned Price said it will work with other government departments to ensure that all U.S. passport holders can smoothly enter other countries. With the implementation of this reform, ZZyym received the first gender "X" passport in the United States in October this year, becoming an important promoter of non-binary gender equality.

ZZyym: I was breathless when I received my new passport

ZZyym, who has been fighting for six years, said that he has finally obtained a passport that "correctly and does not force him to choose whether he is a man or a woman". For passports to truly represent themselves, ZZyym believes that it is liberating and will help intersex people obtain their due rights in the future. ZZyym recalled the moment when he received the new passport, and said with emotion: "The law finally recognizes that I, we (intersex) are all human beings, and we have not disappeared (Legal recognition says I am and we are a human being. And we're not being erased)!

Jessica Stern, the U.S. special envoy for LGBTQ rights, said the new measure is historic, arguing that a person can live a more dignified and respected life with a document that reflects their correct identity. In addition to the United States, there are more than 15 countries in the world that provide the "third gender" option in their passports . Except for countries such as Canada, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands, which are generally considered to be more open and concerned about gender equality, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Maldives He allows citizens to choose a non-binary gender in their passports.

Are government documents required for men and women? The city of Nagano, Japan, gradually removes the gender column on the form

According to the "Shinano Mainichi Shimbun" report, Nagano City, Japan currently provides 83 municipal service application forms, of which 58 have gender columns. Since September this year, 52 gender columns have been cancelled, and all citizens do not need to fill in their gender. Metagender people do not have to be forced to choose fields that may not match their gender.

However, this thoughtful reform is not inevitable. It turns out that as early as September 2018, the LGBT concern group "Rainbow Fellows Nagano" in Nagano City submitted the "Petition for Implementing Human Rights Measures to Recognize and Respect LGBT and Other Gender Diversity" (LGBT な ど の Diversity を Recognize め Respect) to the Nagano City Council.する人権娩詩の実事に開する petition), it was only this year that the city council agreed to take more municipal measures that respect the rights of LGBT people.

The petition mentions the plight of gender/gender minorities in Japan, including the inability to enjoy marriage rights, the inability to sign emergency medical documents for partners, and the lack of understanding in the education system for gender/gender minorities such as transgender students. Nagano City Councilor Hiroki Fumi responded that in addition to the need for same-sex couple certification, the city also needs to formulate systems such as the "LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law" to protect the human rights of gender/gender minorities.

Hong Kong has also pushed the "third gender" form

As for Hong Kong, the people also advocate and promote community policies that respect gender diversity. For example, in December last year, the Wan Chai District Council passed a motion to reform the forms issued by it, adding the option of "Other" in addition to "Male/Female" . At that time, different organizations also sent letters to all 18 district councils in Hong Kong, hoping that all districts could change the form in the same way. Although the government clearly has no intention of adding a "third gender" option to passports and identification documents, the above reforms can be considered a small advance.

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