WASHINGTON – The Social Security Administration has announced that the agency now offers people the choice to self-select their sex on their Social Security number record. People who update their sex marker in Social Security’s records will need to apply for a replacement Social Security Card. They will still need to show a current document to prove their identity, but they will no longer need to provide medical or legal documentation of their sex designation. The agency will accept the applicant’s self-identified sex designation of either male or female, even if it is different from the sex designation shown on identity documents, such as a passport or state-issued driver’s license or identity card.
“The Social Security Administration’s Equity Action Plan includes a 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,” said Acting Commissioner
Kilolo Kijakazi. “This new policy allows people to self-select their sex in our records without needing to provide documentation of their sex designation.”
Social Security cards do not include sex markers. Currently, Social Security’s record systems are unable to include a non-binary or unspecified sex designation. The agency is exploring possible future policy and systems updates to support an “X” sex designation for the SSN card application process.
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