Trump’s Victory at Supreme Court: Lower Court Overturned, No More ‘X’ on Passports

Washington: In America, now only two genders can be written on passports – male and female. The third option (X) for transgender and non-binary people has been removed. The Supreme Court has given permission to President Donald Trump's administration to implement this policy. After this, a big debate has started again in the country regarding gender identity.

Which order was reversed?

Earlier, the lower court had ordered that people could choose between M, F, or X in their passport. The Supreme Court put a stay on this order and said that the government can include only the gender recorded at the time of birth in the passport. The court argued that just as birthplace is mentioned in a passport, gender at birth is a government record, so it cannot be considered discrimination.

Which judges opposed?

Three liberal judges of the Supreme Court strongly opposed the decision. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the policy would put millions of transgender and non-binary people at risk. She said many people faced humiliating searches at the airport, sexual harassment, and allegations of fake documents because their identity did not match their gender as recorded in their documents.

What problems will transgenders face?

The opposing judges say that the decision to have only two genders:

• Will force you to conceal your identity
• Will increase conflict between government documents and real identity
• Will increase the conditions for abuse of trans people

They say this decision sets back transgender rights, and they will face the same harm they have suffered for years.

How did this policy start?

• This policy is related to an old order of the Trump administration, which said that the government would recognize only two genders.
• Under President Joe Biden in 2021, the X option was added for non-binary people.
• But now this facility is in danger, and the government is preparing to eliminate it completely.

What is the effect of the decision?

This is being considered a major policy victory for the Trump administration, while the LGBTQ community and activists are calling it a very retrograde step. Hearing on the matter will continue, but at present only "Male" and "Female" will be written on the passport.