Transgender Canadians can write in ‘x’ option on passports, as of Aug. 31
OTTAWA — Starting Aug. 31, transgender Canadians can indicate on their passports that they don’t identify as either male or female.
It’s the latest step in the federal government’s plan to eventually allow individuals to identify their sex as ‘x’ — that is, unspecified — on passports and other government-issued documents that typically allow people to tick only “m” or “f.”
Until documents with an ‘x’ option can be printed, the government will allow people starting next Thursday to add an observation to their passports, stating that their gender should be identified as ‘x.’
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen says his department will be the first to introduce the interim measure, part of a government-wide initiative to make all government-issued documents gender neutral.