Ministers to face court challenge over gender-neutral passports

UK - A campaigner has won permission to challenge the Home Office’s refusal to issue gender-neutral, or X, passports.

Christie Elan-Cane welcomed the decision by Mr Justice Gilbert in the high court in London that there will be a full legal review hearing of the government’s policy. “I’m elated,” Elan-Cane, who has pursued the issue for more than 25 years, said after the preliminary hearing. “It’s just one stage but it’s going the right way.” UK passports currently restrict sex designations to male or female. Around 10 countries permit their citizens to opt for a third category, X, or unknown. X passports are approved by the ICAO, the UN agency which regulates international air travel.

Narind Singh, a partner at the law firm Clifford Chance which represented Elan-Cane on a pro bono basis, said: “We are delighted that the court has granted permission for a full hearing of this significant public interest case on the fundamentally important issue of the right to respect for individuals’ identity. “Gender identity is a fundamental part of an individual’s intimate, personal identity and X passports are a crucial step in the protection of the human rights of this group of individuals, who otherwise face an unacceptable choice between forgoing a passport, and making a false declaration, and using a passport which misrepresents their identity.” (Theguradian.com)