It is unclear how Trump’s gender order would affect Canadians with an ‘X’ on their passports

It is not yet clear how one of US President Donald Trump’s first executive orders will affect Canadians carrying gender-neutral passports if they travel to the US

On Monday, Trump ordered the US government to recognize only two genders: male and female. The order also says that all federal documents — including passports — should refer to “sex,” not “gender.”

As of 2019, Canadians who do not identify as female or male can list their gender as “X” on their passports. The federal government says about 3,600 Canadians have the stamp on their passports.

CBC News asked the US Customs and Border Protection agency what Canadians with an X on their passports can expect if they try to enter the country after Trump’s executive order. The agency referred CBC News to the White House press office, which has not yet responded to a question about the order.

Helen Kennedy, executive director of the advocacy organization Egale Canada, said this is a “scary” and “uncertain” time for Canadians with gender-neutral passports — and the 2SLGBTQ+ community in general.

“Right now we don’t know what’s going to happen and that’s what makes it very, very difficult for people to assess the safety of whether they should even go to the United States,” she said.

Fae Johnstone, executive director of Queer Momentum, told The Canadian Press that she will avoid traveling to the U.S. for now out of fear that her passport will be refused at the border.

“It’s nothing more than an existential attack on the very existence of trans and gender diverse people in America and around the world,” Johnstone said.

Carrying a gender-neutral passport can already lead to difficulties in the US in general, Kennedy said.

“There is nothing to prevent any border immigration officer from stopping people with X’s on their passports from entering their country,” she said.

“At one level it has now escalated to formal politics.”

Canada has updated its 2023 travel advice

Global Affairs Canada told CBC News in an email that it is aware of Trump’s executive order and is “monitoring these developments closely.” The department said Canadians should monitor its travel advisory website for advice updates.

“Each country decides who enters its borders. The travel decision is the sole responsibility of the traveler,” the email said.

The government’s website currently has extensive advice for individuals who list their gender as X on their passports. It says they may face travel restrictions and that the Canadian government cannot guarantee entry to other countries.

In 2023, the government updated its travel advice for individuals traveling to the US following anti-2SLGBTQ+ laws passed in a number of US states.

The advisory tells travelers to beware of laws that criminalize same-sex activities and relationships or target people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Kennedy and Johnstone said they want Canada to update its guidance on travel to the U.S. and explain what it means for transgender and non-binary Canadians crossing the border.

“I’m sure people are wary because our community is very involved in what’s going on in the U.S. right now. But I think the Canadian government has a responsibility to inform people about what’s going on,” Kennedy said.

For now, Kennedy said she would recommend that anyone with a gender-neutral passport avoid traveling to the U.S. unless absolutely necessary.