The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that Americans can now select the gender they identify with, rather than their biological sex, when filling out records. Moving forward, Americans wishing to update their Social Security gender status will simply need to show proof of identity but no medical or legal documents to reassign their sex.
The move is part of the “Equity Action Plan” the agency’s acting commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi outlined in March. Kijakazi described the change as part of the agency’s “commitment to decrease administrative burdens and ensure people who identify as gender diverse or transgender have options in the Social Security Number card application process” in a recent news release.
This is part of a broader trend witnessed across the federal government since President Joe Biden assumed office nearly two years ago. In that time, various federal agencies have eliminated biological sex in their record-keeping systems in the name of inclusivity.
Last June, the State Department permitted applicants to self-select their gender — or select no gender at all by ticking a box marked “X” — while no longer mandating medical certification to confirm the disclosure. The Social Security Administration plans to add an “X” designation to its gender options in the future.
Similar changes have been made at the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which now allows homeless trans people to access shelters formerly reserved for the opposite sex. The Transportation Security Administration has also moved in this direction.
The number of people identifying as LGBTQ in recent years has skyrocketed, although the reasons for this are contested. LBGTQ Americans today under the age of 30 are believed to represent nearly 20 percent of the age group.