Gender-neutral passports on the way?

In April 2018 Christie Elan-Cane, a campaigner for gender-neutral passports, took court action against the Home Office.

Christie wanted British passports to include a gender-neutral ‘X’ for unspecified option alongside male and female categories.

Speaking for Christie, judge Kate Gallafent QC said: ‘The claimant’s identity is that of a non-gendered person: someone who does not identify as either male or female. The claimant considers that obtaining and using a passport currently involves the claimant making a false declaration as to the nature of the claimant’s gender identity, which causes the claimant considerable distress.’
 

Deapite the fact that there may be over one per cent of the population likely to identify with the X category, on 22/06/2018 the High Court judge Mr Justice Jeremy Baker refused to rule the government policy as unlawful.

Acting for the home secretary, James Eadie, said the 'policy maintains an administratively coherent system for the recognition of gender and ensures security at national borders.'

Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, India and Nepal already have a third category.