UPDATE (1/28/2024): Over the weekend, I was able to confirm reports that the Trump administration has expanded the use of a system that allows employees to see if a person applying for a passport renewal has EVER had a passport with a different gender marker.
This, all this, so much this. My SS & DMV name/gender updates were in computer glitch hell on the 20th, & my gut was knotted in anxiety all day long. The morning of the 21st, though, I went to my SSA office, told them I needed it fixed, & got a walk-in appt. It took two agents half an hour to resolve the issue, but we did it, & as of last night I am officially me — the real me — on my SS account. Which means tomorrow I can go back to the DMV for the 3d time to finish updating my license. 🙌🏼
Next up, birth certificate & passport. BC I’m not worried about, & I’ll be fine with whatever passport gender I wind up with precisely because my name will be correct regardless. Ari is exactly right.
Do not panic; do not let the bastards get you down! ✊🏼 ✊🏼 ✊🏼
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and courage, Ari. I am an ally, and I am a brown, cis man. I know they don’t like me either, and I also know that I’m not going anywhere, especially back. I wear my Pride beads on my right wrist so to be easily identified by anyone who will look. I stand with you because I am an ally.
We have been renewing our passports online and encountered a quizzical request to verify that our first name and gender have not changed (this after already confirming the pre-existing information from our expired passports).
We were then asked to provide a recent waist-up photo, which again seems weird. As recently as last September, credible online information explains that “a perfect square image” of the “head and shoulders” is what's required for passports.
Why does the US State department suddenly need to see my torso? Apparently, they have reasons.
This, all this, so much this. My SS & DMV name/gender updates were in computer glitch hell on the 20th, & my gut was knotted in anxiety all day long. The morning of the 21st, though, I went to my SSA office, told them I needed it fixed, & got a walk-in appt. It took two agents half an hour to resolve the issue, but we did it, & as of last night I am officially me — the real me — on my SS account. Which means tomorrow I can go back to the DMV for the 3d time to finish updating my license. 🙌🏼
Next up, birth certificate & passport. BC I’m not worried about, & I’ll be fine with whatever passport gender I wind up with precisely because my name will be correct regardless. Ari is exactly right.
Do not panic; do not let the bastards get you down! ✊🏼 ✊🏼 ✊🏼
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and courage, Ari. I am an ally, and I am a brown, cis man. I know they don’t like me either, and I also know that I’m not going anywhere, especially back. I wear my Pride beads on my right wrist so to be easily identified by anyone who will look. I stand with you because I am an ally.
love this, thanks for the words of inspiration
Thank you Ari <3 🏳️⚧️
Thank you for sharing. I really needed to read this right now.
<3
We have been renewing our passports online and encountered a quizzical request to verify that our first name and gender have not changed (this after already confirming the pre-existing information from our expired passports).
We were then asked to provide a recent waist-up photo, which again seems weird. As recently as last September, credible online information explains that “a perfect square image” of the “head and shoulders” is what's required for passports.
Why does the US State department suddenly need to see my torso? Apparently, they have reasons.
My renewal was submitted mid-January; so we’ll see what happens
This is the first post that has gotten me to subscribe right off in MONTHS. You rock. Thank you.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!