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Lambda Legal Applauds State Department Changes to Passport Guidelines on Gender
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These new guidelines will make travel safer for transgender people.
(New York, June 10, 2010) — In response to the U.S. State Department's new policy guidelines for gender change in passports for transgender people that were announced late yesterday, Lambda Legal released the following statement by Dru Levasseur, Transgender Rights Attorney:
"We are grateful to the State Department for taking the necessary steps towards securing respectful treatment of transgender people who deserve to travel safely.
"When traveling at home and abroad, transgender people have been subject to dangerous situations because their passports did not reflect their gender. These new guidelines will make travel safer for transgender people.
"This is significant news. Under the new rule, when a passport applicant presents a doctor's certificate that he or she has undergone appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition, the passport will reflect the new gender. Most importantly, sex reassignment surgery is no longer a prerequisite for passport issuance.
"New rules will also affect the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), a birth certificate for those U.S. citizens who were born outside of the U.S.
"For years, Lambda Legal has been making the case for transgender people's right to have their official documents accurately reflect their gender. Having accurate documentation is necessary to people's lives, whether for travel purposes or obtaining employment. These policy changes will have a real impact on people's lives.
"We are looking forward to more information from the State Department and we will continue to research the new guidelines and the ways that transgender people can make changes to their passports and CRBAs."
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Contact: Jonathan Adams 212-809-8585 ext. 267; jadams@lambdalegal.org
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
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