Lambda Legal Sues U.S. State Department on Behalf of Intersex Citizen Denied Passport | Lambda Legal

Lambda Legal today filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. State Department on behalf of an intersex client, Dana Zzyym, denied a U.S. passport because Dana could not accurately choose either male or female on the passport application form, and the form does not provide any other gender marker designation.

Though many intersex people identify as male or female, some – like Dana – do not.,,,

Dana, who uses the gender-neutral pronouns “they,” “them” and “their,” was born with ambiguous sex characteristics. Shortly after Dana’s birth, their parents and doctor decided to raise them as a boy. As a result, Dana underwent several irreversible, painful and medically unnecessary surgeries that didn’t work, traumatized Dana and left them with severe scarring.

It was only many years later, after serving six years in the U.S. Navy and then attending Colorado State University, where they also worked as a custodian, that Dana began researching the surgeries and came to understand they had been born intersex. Drawing on personal experience, Dana began educating the public about issues facing intersex people. Dana currently serves as associate director for the United States affiliate of the Organisation Intersex International (OII-USA).

As part of their work, Dana was invited to attend the International Intersex Forum in Mexico City in October, 2014, at which time Dana applied for a U.S. passport. The application requires that the applicant select a gender marker of either ‘male’ or ‘female.’ It also requires first-time applicants to submit a birth certificate, which in Dana’s case lists their sex as “unknown.”

Notwithstanding the information on their birth certificate and the fact that Dana’s doctors with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs confirm their gender as intersex, Dana’s application for a passport was denied.

Lambda Legal Sues U.S. State Department on Behalf of Intersex Citizen Denied Passport | Lambda Legal

Human Rights Report That Ted Cruz Demanded Reveals Republican Hypocrisy

It is mind-boggling, really, why Republicans so desperately wanted a human rights violation report released that features human rights violations they are guilty of perpetuating on Americans. Yes, they certainly want a reason to criticize nations like Iran and Cuba, but they also are well aware that the entire world knows that those nations are guilty of the same violations Republicans support, and argue to continue unabated, against people of color, women, gays, and peaceful protestors. The rest of the world, including Iran and Cuba, are aware that Republicans have championed legislation “limiting citizens’ ability to change the government through free and fair elections” at the behest of the Koch brothers and their legislative arm the American Legislative Exchange Council.

America can hardly criticize any nation’s human rights violations when it is guilty of the same violations even if they are not “as violent or severe;” particularly when this ‘exceptional nation’ is supposed to be a human rights leader. It is true that most Americans are appalled when they learn their fellow citizens are victims of human rights violations, and if they were not so entrenched in the idea that America is a human rights leader, they may pay heed to who is responsible for perpetuating this exceptional nation’s human rights violations against their fellow citizens; hypocritical Republicans.

Human Rights Report That Ted Cruz Demanded Reveals Republican Hypocrisy