Canadian officials considering genderless passports

May 09, 2012

OTTAWA – Canadian officials are considering genderless passports, aimed at those who do not identify with their birth gender but do not wish to have sex-change surgery.

The National Post cited a government briefing note obtained by La Presse newspaper as revealing, "Passport Canada policy in relation to the gender indicated on passports is the subject of a review." The move was confirmed by a spokeswoman for the agency.

The new policy might allow a gender of "x" where the passport holder feels neither "male" nor "female" represents them. Such a declaration could suit those who do not identify with the sex of their birth, but are unable to have surgery to change their sex, as well as "intersex" Canadians with ambiguous chromosomes or genitalia.

Such a move would follow Australia -- where last year it became allowed for a passport holder to list their sex as "indeterminate" -- and echoes a similar change being considered in the UK.

"There are people in transition from one sex to another. In my view I don't see why passports shouldn't reflect reality," Karen Selick, from the Canadian Constitution Foundation, said. the rest