U.S. State Department issues first-ever passport with gender marked as 'X'

63-year-old Dana Zzyym made history.
person marking the X in a form with the letters M for male, F for female and X for the third gender category
Photo credit Getty Images

History was made on Wednesday in an ongoing battle for LGBTQIA+ equality. The U.S. Department of State issued the first passport with an 'X' in the gender field. Traditionally, people have had to choose 'M' for male or 'F' for female.

A 63-year-old person from Fort Collins, Colorado has been trying to achieve this document status for the past six years. Dana Zzymm was born intersex, and after multiple failed surgeries, they decided to identify as gender-neutral.

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Zzymm began advocating for intersex rights, and their hard work eventually paid off. They want all non-binary people to have the option of marking 'X'. Zzymm said, "I’m not a problem. I’m a human being. That’s the point."

Beginning in early 2022, applicants will have the option of marking M,F, or X on their government-issued passports.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images