The Home Office are looking to introduce “sex free” passports so that transgender people wont have to identify themselves as either male or female.
Existing passports require everybody to identify themselves as either male or female but the Liberal Democrats are pushing for a third option to take into account people undergoing sex changes operations or those who are intersex, ie, have both male and female reproductive organs.
: “The UK Government is totally committed to creating a society that is fair to everyone," Lib Dem Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said "We are committed to tackling prejudice and discrimination against transgender people at home and around the world."
“We need concerted government action to tear down barriers and help to build a fairer society for transgender people.”
The Home Office confirmed that they are "exploring with international partners and relevant stakeholders the security implications of gender not being displayed on the passport.”
At present a transgender people may change the sex on their passport only once they have had the operation to change sex.
Under the proposals transgendered or intersex people could mark the sex box “X”.
Australian authorities recently changed the rules to allow citizens to nominate their gender as male, female or indeterminate.
