RuPaul’s Drag Race star Adore Delano has criticised a recent decision to issue her a passport marked “male,” despite her legal name change and gender identity as a transgender woman.
In a candid TikTok video, the Drag Race alum, who came out as trans in 2023, shared her frustration after receiving official documents that still list her gender as male. “It’s true you guys, they’re not changing my gender federally so my passport will remain male,” she said.
Delano went on to warn other trans people that federal systems are now refusing to update gender markers. “Just a head’s up girls, they told me that we’re like a month-and-a-half to two months too late… they’re really out here calling us men, girls!” she exclaimed, calling the situation “f**king wild.”
Her experience comes amid growing concern from trans and non-binary Americans following former President Donald Trump’s return to office. Since his re-election, numerous executive orders have rolled back protections for LGBTQ+ people, particularly those relating to gender identity and documentation.
One such executive order mandates the federal government to recognise only two sexes – male and female – and asserts that these are immutable. As a result, passport applications where the applicant’s gender does not match their sex assigned at birth have been halted in some instances.
Applications using the gender-neutral “X” marker have reportedly been denied entirely, prompting lawsuits against the Trump administration by trans and non-binary individuals who argue that their rights are being infringed upon.
High-profile figures have also spoken out. Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer revealed in February that her new passport had been issued with an “M” for male, despite selecting “female” during the application process.
“I saw it on my new passport. I was shocked because I didn’t think it was actually going to happen,” she said. Schafer added that, as a prominent white trans woman, she is aware of her privilege, yet still faced discrimination. “It still happened.”
She speculated that the State Department may now be verifying gender markers based on birth certificates, which was the only document she hadn’t updated. Despite this, Schafer remained defiant: “I don’t give a fk that they put an M on my passport. It doesn’t change really anything about me or my transness. I’m never gonna stop being trans. A letter and a passport can’t change that. And fk this administration.”
Trump’s administration has also introduced several other anti-trans policies in recent weeks. These include restricting trans girls and women from participating in school sports, seeking to ban trans people from military service, and attempting to limit access to gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth.
