It was not an April Fool’s Day joke. As of April 1, immigrants seeking can now select a third gender option, or “X,” when applying for naturalization, making it official government policy that there is a third sex.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a statement about a new option on Form N-400, which is the Application for Naturalization. On it, an applicant can now indicate “X” for a gender — no proof required.
“Historically, USCIS forms and associated documents have only offered two gender options: ‘Male (M)’ and ‘Female (F).’ This has created significant barriers for requestors who do not identify with either of those options. Limiting benefit requestors to two gender options also creates administrative challenges for USCIS when we receive birth certificates or other official government-issued documents with a gender other than M or F,” the announcement reads.
“You do not need to provide supporting documentation to select X as your gender initially or to change your gender selection for Form N-400. The gender you select does not need to match the gender listed on your other immigration documents or on supporting identity documents, such as your birth certificate, passport, or state identification,” the agency said.
