Canada has warned citizens carrying passports with an “X” gender marker that they may face problems entering the United States and other countries that do not recognize non-binary identifiers.
Global Affairs Canada updated its US travel advisory this week, cautioning that while Ottawa issues passports with an “X,” it “cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries.” Travellers may still be asked to declare their sex as male or female when crossing borders, the notice said.
The warning comes in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier this year directing federal agencies to only recognize two sexes — male and female — in government documents. That order, which also replaced the word “gender” with “sex” in official use, has been challenged in court. A federal judge blocked enforcement, but the administration is appealing.
Canada introduced the “X” option on passports in 2019. As of January, roughly 3,600 Canadians had chosen it, according to federal data.
Global Affairs spokesperson Alexandre Fournier told CBC the advisory about “X” passports was added to all Canadian travel pages on September 23. The US-specific page was updated on September 29 to flag “updated information on 2SLGBTQi+ persons.”
It’s the latest in a series of warnings aimed at Canadians travelling south of the border. Last year, Ottawa revised its guidance after a wave of US state-level legislation targeting 2SLGBTQ+ people, cautioning that laws criminalizing same-sex activities or discriminating based on gender identity could put Canadian travellers at risk.
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