Social Security Number: SSA to Allow Self-Selection of Sex to Better Accommodate LGBTQ+ Community
The Social Security Administration will now offer people the opportunity to self-select their sex on their Social Security number record said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, on March 31.
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“The Social Security Administration is committed to reducing barriers and ensuring the fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community by updating our procedures for Social Security number records,” said Kijakazi. “This policy change will allow people to self-select their sex in our records without needing to provide documentation of their sex designation.”
This option will likely be available this fall, the agency said.
To update your sex marker on your SSN record, you will need to apply for a replacement SSN card. You’ll be required to prove your identity with current documentation, but will no longer need to provide medical or legal documentation of sex designation.
Agency employees were also instructed, in February, to accept documents that contain non-binary identifiers for original SSN and replacement SSN card applications, as well as other updates to internal SSN records. The SSA is also considering future policy and system updates to support an “X” designation for the SSN card application process.
In recognition of Trans Visibility Day, the U.S. Department of State also announced, on March 31, that citizens applying for a U.S. passport will be able to identify with the gender designation “X” beginning on April 11.
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“The Department is setting a precedent as the first federal government agency to offer the X gender marker on an identity document,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.
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