Updating Gender Markers on Passports: A Personal Journey

A few weeks ago, I shared that I had applied for a passport renewal. The application included changing my gender marker to F, while it is still possible to do so. There’s strong reason to believe that option will be taken from people like me once Trump takes office. He is well-known for his animus toward transgender people.

The passport office received my application on 18-November. The updated passport, with a new photo, and female gender marker, arrived yesterday. That was twenty days from the date it was received at the office until I got the new passport. I also applied for the passport card, which hasn’t arrived yet. I knew they would arrive in separate mail items, so I’m not worried about that.

I now have a state issued driver’s license with “F” marker, and a federally issued ID with that same marker. The passport is good for ten years from the date of issue. Both are still in my dead name. I have not pursued name change yet because of fear of employment discrimination.

At this point, though, that is definitely on my to-do list for the coming year. In a worst case scenario, I get fired once my employer knows I have transitioned. I can live on my Social Security retirement income. The part time income from the job is nice, but not necessary for survival.

I am delighted to have both federal and state ID that accurately represent my gender. I am encouraging gender variant people to get a passport with the correct gender marker as soon as possible. Even with the dead name on it, it still agrees with my presentation. This agreement increases my safety in the moment. It also opens up the option, in a worst case scenario, of fleeing the United States. Yes, a great many transgender folks are considering and planning for that possibility.

The journey continues, and I feel just a wee bit safer today.

Tags: Gender Marker, Name and Gender Change, trans, Transgender