US airlines ordered to ignore ‘X’ gender-neutral passport markers amid federal policy clash

In a move that heightens tensions around gender identity and travel bureaucracy, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has instructed US airlines to ignore the “X” gender marker on passports, demanding instead that travellers hold a passport marked “M” or “F”.

The “X” marker—introduced for non-binary or gender-neutral identification, actually introduced in 2022 during the Joe Biden administration—is being sidelined under an executive order from Donald Trump. The order—titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”—lays down the policy that only the male and female sexes exist at the federal level.

Existing passports bearing “X” remain technically valid, but the new policy creates a disparity: Those renewing or applying for a US passport must choose either “M” or “F”, based on what the administration designates as “biological sex at birth”.

Legal advocates caution that the shift may sow confusion—especially at airline check-in desks or border crossings—since travellers holding an “X” marker could encounter questions even if their documents remain lawful.

Critics argue the policy abandons practical recognition of non-binary and gender-diverse individuals in favour of a stricter binary framework.

One attorney noted the effect: “They are trying to throw us into a state of reactivity so that we’re not able to focus on practical advocacy and the material needs of our communities.”

For travellers and industry alike, the directive introduces a layer of uncertainty. Airlines must now align operationally with CBP’s guidance despite the international norm—and the personal reality for many—of non-binary gender markers. Meanwhile, the broader policy battle over how federal systems recognise gender continues.