Transgender actress and activist Hunter Schafer has publicly criticised the Trump administration after receiving a U.S. passport that incorrectly listed her gender as male.
The incident follows a recent executive order by President Donald Trump requiring all government-issued identification, including passports, to reflect the sex assigned at birth, effectively revoking recognition of gender identity.
In a TikTok video, Schafer shared her frustration upon discovering the “M” gender marker on her new passport despite selecting female on her application. She pointed out that all her government-issued IDs have identified her as female since her teenage years. After losing her previous passport while filming overseas, she applied for a replacement and now anticipates difficulties, including the need to “out” herself during airport security checks.
Signed on President Trump’s first day back in office, the executive order directs federal agencies to define sex strictly as male or female, based on sex assigned at birth. As a result, the State Department has halted the processing of passport applications requesting gender marker changes or the inclusion of an “X” marker for non-binary individuals.
Schafer addressed the wider impact of the policy, stating that while the incorrect gender marker does not change her identity, it makes her daily life more difficult. She asserted, “I don’t give a f** that they put an M on my passport. It doesn’t change really anything about me or my transness. However, it does make life a little harder.”*
In response to the policy, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the State Department’s refusal to issue passports with accurate gender markers. The lawsuit argues that the policy violates constitutional rights and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Schafer’s experience highlights the real-world consequences of government policies on transgender individuals, particularly when it comes to essential identification documents. Her advocacy draws attention to the difficulties facing the transgender community under the Trump administration’s policies.
Transgender actress Hunter Schafer speaks out against the Trump administration’s policy requiring passports to reflect sex assigned at birth after receiving a misgendered passport. The ACLU has taken legal action against the directive.
