For people who have already changed other documentation, that is not really a choice that's under our control anymore. And if you've already physically transitioned, having a passport in your birth sex can raise more questions than it answers. So ultimately I'd say it comes down to which you think is less likely to cause problems for you as you travel.
But if there is a government record of having changed your gender marker then you don’t even need to be traveling for them to have evidence to detain you. Assuming they attempt to criminalize being trans in the future.
True. What Ari’s saying is simply that 1. many of us have already crossed that threshold on other documents anyway, and 2. that how your passport lines up (or doesn’t) with authorities’ perception of you during travel is another variable to consider.
I would also add that for anyone who has ever posted on any kind of social media about being Trans, or taken any medical transition steps via legal means, it’s likely those folks can already be targeted regardless of documentation — based just on the extent of state surveillance and privacy overreach.
So TL;DR — many Trans folks from the US already have a traceability issue anyway, so it’s a cost:benefit question of “What do I gain by changing my passport vs what do I risk?”
heads up on this- the online application for renewals still requires you to check a box stating that you apply with the same biographical information that you used to apply, and it specifies sex. I don't know what's on the mail in form. I've made an appointment at my local passport office to see if there's a way to apply online, but having asked (informally) some international lawyer family members, they agreed that it's best not to check that box.
adding to clarify- many passport offices won't let you make appointments for adult renewals, because those can be done online. i was able to get an appointment to see if there was another option, but that may really depend a lot on your regional passport office.
Is it really a good idea to change my marker at all? Wouldn’t that just let the government know that I’m trans?
For people who have already changed other documentation, that is not really a choice that's under our control anymore. And if you've already physically transitioned, having a passport in your birth sex can raise more questions than it answers. So ultimately I'd say it comes down to which you think is less likely to cause problems for you as you travel.
But if there is a government record of having changed your gender marker then you don’t even need to be traveling for them to have evidence to detain you. Assuming they attempt to criminalize being trans in the future.
True. What Ari’s saying is simply that 1. many of us have already crossed that threshold on other documents anyway, and 2. that how your passport lines up (or doesn’t) with authorities’ perception of you during travel is another variable to consider.
I would also add that for anyone who has ever posted on any kind of social media about being Trans, or taken any medical transition steps via legal means, it’s likely those folks can already be targeted regardless of documentation — based just on the extent of state surveillance and privacy overreach.
So TL;DR — many Trans folks from the US already have a traceability issue anyway, so it’s a cost:benefit question of “What do I gain by changing my passport vs what do I risk?”
heads up on this- the online application for renewals still requires you to check a box stating that you apply with the same biographical information that you used to apply, and it specifies sex. I don't know what's on the mail in form. I've made an appointment at my local passport office to see if there's a way to apply online, but having asked (informally) some international lawyer family members, they agreed that it's best not to check that box.
adding to clarify- many passport offices won't let you make appointments for adult renewals, because those can be done online. i was able to get an appointment to see if there was another option, but that may really depend a lot on your regional passport office.