Equality California Responds to Supreme Court Decision Upholding Trump Policy Restricting Gender Markers on Passports

WASHINGTON - Today, in a shadow docket ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration by allowing the federal government to block transgender and nonbinary people from selecting passport sex markers that reflect their gender identity. Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang released the following statement:

"This ruling is a dangerous escalation in the Trump administration's ongoing assault on the freedom and safety of transgender Americans. The Court has once again abandoned its duty to protect the most vulnerable and instead chosen to enable cruelty. Forcing transgender travelers to carry documents that blatantly out them puts lives at risk and exposes people to harassment, violence, and even potential imprisonment simply for being who they are.

There is no credible justification for denying someone accurate identification - and every reason to understand the harm and danger this creates for transgender travelers.

This Court has made clear that it is willing to bend both law and process to uphold an extremist political agenda. There is no credible justification for denying someone accurate identification, and every reason to understand the harm and danger this creates, not just in the United States but in many countries around the world where simply being LGBTQ+ is illegal. Equality California will keep fighting alongside our partners to defend transgender people's right to live safely and with dignity."

The decision marks the second time this year the Court has sided with a Trump administration policy targeting transgender people, after previously allowing the administration's ban on transgender service members to take effect in May. In both cases, the underlying legal challenges continue to move through the appellate process, which means the full rights of transgender people are still under threat.

###