WASHINGTON — April 11 marks the first day that the "X" gender marker will be available on U.S. passports.
The U.S. Department of State announced the change on March 31. In the release, the Department said they were "setting a precedent as the first federal government agency to offer the X gender marker on an identity document."
In June 2021, the Department announced its plan to make the change to be more inclusive and expand options for gender identity.
The Department also stated that people will no longer be required to have medical certification if the person's selected gender does not match up with the gender that is registered on other citizenship or identity documents.
The letter "X" is meant to be inclusive for those who are non-binary, intersex and gender non-conforming, according to the release.
In a video statement published by the White House, on Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, President Biden said his administration is standing up against "hateful bills."
"We celebrate the diverse expressions of gender and full diversity of gender identity around the world," said Ned Price, spokesperson for the Department of State.