Trump Bans 'X' Gender Markers on Passports and Orders 1,500 Trans Women to Men's Prisons on First Day

Jan 24, 2025, 01:05 PM

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order on his first day in office that prohibits the use of non-binary gender markers on official U.S. documents, including passports. The order, titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,' mandates that the State Department, led by Secretary Marco Rubio, suspend all passport applications with an 'X' gender marker and halt any requests for changes in recorded sex. This policy reflects Trump's stance that only two sexes, male and female, are recognized by the U.S. government, based on the sex assigned at birth. Additionally, the order extends to federal prisons, requiring the approximately 1,500 transgender women, who represent about 15% of women inmates, to be housed in men's facilities alongside 750 transgender men, and stopping gender-affirming medical treatments. The move has sparked concerns among transgender and non-binary communities and their advocates, who fear increased risks of abuse and mental health issues due to these changes.