He finally got the right passport. Other Americans aren't so lucky.
USA TODAY
It's been over a year since transgender, nonbinary and intersex Americans have been fighting for their right to an accurate passport.
Opening the package containing his new passport was an extremely emotional moment for Patrick. He waited nearly a year for it, and the former Texas resident wasn't even sure it would be valid after receiving a useless one in the summer with an incorrect gender marker.
Patrick, who is identified by his first name only for safety and privacy reasons, initially applied to renew his passport at the end of 2024 to go on a honeymoon with his wife. While hers was approved in a week, his application and other vital documents, including his gender change court order, were held up.
He is one of the thousands of transgender, nonbinary and intersex Americans impacted by President Donald Trump's Jan. 20, 2025, executive order acknowledging only two sexes – male and female – designated at birth.
Under the order, the U.S. State Department said it will only issue passports "with a male or female sex marker that matches the applicant's biological sex," in a March email to USA TODAY. Applications for the "X" gender marker – implemented in 2022 to accommodate the 1.2 million nonbinary Americans and around 5.6 million intersex U.S. residents – or binary changes were immediately suspended.
'I am exactly who God made': Why travel is a battleground for drag and trans performers
Portland International Airport's unique animal-assisted therapy program offers llamas to help relieve the stress of travel.
Minnesota's proposed “Grandparents’ Happy Hour” bill would allow group homes to serve alcohol to residents and their guests.
This year marks 35 years of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort, and it’s going to be iconic
Meet Outdoorsy—the safe, fully insured smart platform for renting stylish RVs. Skip hotels for drivable, towable or deliverable rigs for 2026.
Discover British Airways multi‑city vacations and explore more destinations in one trip. Find great prices on flexible travel packages.
Learn 20 practical home improvement tips to fix common problems, save money and keep your house running smoothly.
Filas largas en TSA aumentan retrasos en aeropuertos. Perder el vuelo no garantiza reembolso, y las opciones dependen de cada aerolínea.
Millions of spring break travelers will be flying amid TSA worker shortages in the government shutdown. Here’s what to expect at the airport.
Learn baking tips for perfect chocolate chip cookies including chilling dough, shaping cookies and finishing touches for bakery style results.
New data from the National Park Service shows which parks drew the biggest crowds, and which stayed quiet.
For most people, spring and summer means fun in the sun. For this 24-year-old, it means avoiding her life-threatening sun allergy.
You can visit the world’s happiest countries, but here’s what you need to know first.
A meningitis outbreak in southeast England has left 27 students sick and 2 dead, according to U.K. health officials.