cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/30327292
The Trump administration has said that the U.S. passports of transgender people must now reflect the sex on their original birth certificate, reversing a decades-old policy.
How would this affect someone who’s done top surgery, name change, birth certificate change, all ID changes, and already has a valid passport?
e: Not a rhetorical question, I would like to know.
You already know the answer. They’d pick the cruelest possible option.
Well, yes, but how does that play out in practical terms, at customs and border control on the way back in to the country?
It’s Border Control, I assume they’d pick the cruelest possible option.
Depends. Have you ever had a passport in your dead name? That is the critical question. If so, then they can see it in your records when you go for a passport renewal. And if so, you’ll receive a passport back under your birth sex.
As far as the effects of having an incorrect passport gender marker? It can get you in a lot of trouble. I’m a trans gal myself. There’s no easy way for me to even prove that I am trans. I could strip naked in front of someone and it wouldn’t be obvious. Yet under these rules, when I update my passport, I’ll end up with an M marker. This will make it nearly impossible for to travel internationally.
This can cause big issues when crossing a border. It can mean you’re pulled aside for extra scrutiny. It can get you outright turned away from countries hostile to lgbt people. It can make border agents suspect your entirely legitimate document is fake. Hell, the same conservatives who would give me such a document would argue I’m committing some act of fraud for dressing and looking a way that doesn’t match my documents.
Just imagine what trouble you might encounter if any basic info on your ID was clearly wrong. Imagine your passport says your height is a foot different from your actual height. Can you not see how that would obviously cause you problems when trying to cross a border?
Have you ever had a passport in your dead name?
Have, yes, up until about three years ago. Natural born US citizen.
My concern is about the coming back into the country after vacation. All the other times we’ve gone through (many, many), it’s been smooth sailing, everyone just hands over the passports, person at the desk matches face with picture (they match), we go home.
Getting through customs should be fine for as long as your current passport is valid. AFAIK, current passports are not affected. The likely trouble is going to be when you need to get it renewed.
They can make that very difficult any time they want. They shouldn’t be able to, but here we are
It says “original birth certificate”
I’m tired, boss.