A big decision just happened in the United States — and it’s all about passports and people’s identities.
🆘 What Was the Problem?
There are people called transgender, nonbinary, or intersex. That means they don’t always feel like the gender they were born with, or they don’t feel like just a boy or just a girl.
Now, when these people want to travel or get a passport, they want the gender on their passport to match who they truly are.
But former U.S. President Donald Trump made a rule that said:
“Only MALE or FEMALE passports are allowed, and it must be based on what you were born as.”
That meant many transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people couldn’t get a passport that felt true to who they are. 😔
⚔️ What Happened Next?
Six brave people said “This isn’t fair!” and they sued the government.
A judge named Julia Kobick (she’s from Boston and was chosen by President Joe Biden) looked at their case and said:
“You’re right! This rule could be unfair and hurtful. It might break the U.S. Constitution.”
So at first, she let only the 6 people in the lawsuit get passports that matched their real gender identity.
💥 But Then She Did Something Bigger!
Just this week, Judge Kobick said:
“Wait! This rule affects a lot more people, not just the 6 who filed the case. So I’m going to BLOCK THIS RULE FOR EVERYONE in the same situation!”
That means transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people across the U.S. can now ask for a passport that shows:
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M for Male
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F for Female
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Or even X for people who don’t want to be listed as either.
🔥 Why Was Trump’s Rule So Controversial?
Trump’s rule was based on an executive order that said:
“Only two sexes exist: male and female. All government documents should follow this.”
That rule made it so people couldn’t pick how they wanted to be identified — even though for over 30 years, people were allowed to update their passport’s gender.
In 2022, under President Joe Biden, the government said:
“We’ll let people choose what gender shows on their passport — including X if they want.”
But when Trump came back into office in January, he tried to erase that policy and bring back the old rule.
🧑⚖️ What the Judge Said
Judge Kobick explained:
“This rule is unfair and treats people differently because of who they are. It seems to come from prejudice, not fairness.”
She made it a class action case — which means the decision now protects every person in the same situation across the whole country!
🗣️ What Did People Say?
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which helped the people file the case, said:
“This is a huge win for fairness and equality!”
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But a spokesperson from the Trump team wasn’t happy. She called the judge’s ruling:
“An attempt to block President Trump’s plan and push radical gender ideas.”
🌈 So What Happens Now?
This is a big win for transgender rights and for people who just want to be honest about who they are on their passport.
But the fight isn’t over. The lawsuit will keep going, and there may still be more arguments in court.
For now, though, thousands of people who were scared they’d be forced to lie on their passports can finally breathe a little easier. 🛫💙
