The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on Thursday new standards for screening transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming airline passengers.
The changes are supposed to be more gender-neutral, making the travel experience easier and more inclusive for Americans.
Affect this month, TSA Precheck applicants can choose the gender they want to be saved in their record by selecting “M” or “F” during the enrollment or renewal process. TSA said in a statement that the gender selected does not need to match the gender listed on a birth certificate, passport, or state-issued ID.
Use of the “X” pronoun on applications is in the works, which TSA expects to have updated by the end of this year. A new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications will begin on April 11.
As CBN News reported in October, the U.S. State Department issued its first passport with an “X” designation for the passport holder’s gender. The historic move showed the full force of the transgender movement.
TSA also plans to use advanced scanners that will replace gender-based systems and are intended to “advance civil rights and improve the customer experience.”
“Beginning in May 2022, TSA is also updating its screening procedures to better serve transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming travelers through less invasive screening procedures for passengers who trigger the AIT scanner in a sensitive area,” the agency said.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying that less invasive screening procedures are being implemented and will continue in airports throughout the country later this year.
“DHS is committed to protecting the traveling public while ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, is treated with respect,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The new measures announced today are part of a whole-of-government effort to promote equity and inclusion in all our programs and processes. We are proud to work with our interagency partners on this effort and look forward to rapidly implementing these changes to better serve the American public.”
The updates were released on International Transgender Day of Visibility, which President Biden marked by praising transgender Americans and accusing numerous U.S. states of “dangerous” attacks on transgender people.
Additionally, visitors to the White House will soon also be able to select an “X” gender marker option in the White House Worker and Visitor Entry System, which is used to conduct screening background checks for visitors to the executive mansion.
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