@deviantollam

That was easy. I tend to get wordy, but here's what I wrote: Free for anyone to use and modify if they find any part of it useful.

@deviantollam There are two more! (3 in total)

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/18/2025-02697/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-us-passport-renewal-application-for-eligible#open-comment

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/18/2025-02696/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-a-us-passport-for-eligible#open-comment

@deviantollam Consider what we know about those scanners at airports. They *can* become a "genital scan", to violate the rights of non-cis people.

“I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone." -- Winston Churchill

@deviantollam Comments are open for the other two major passport related forms now, and they haven't had as many responses as the first one.

You can access them here:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/18/2025-02696/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-a-us-passport-for-eligible#open-comment

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/18/2025-02697/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-us-passport-renewal-application-for-eligible#open-comment

@deviantollam
These are the specific changes that you are being asked to comment on if this helps!

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-02-18/pdf/2025-02696.pdf

@deviantollam Thanks, have left a comment.

I notice that the ICAO specifications specifically allow for not specifying sex, which I think is the best approach: "Where an issuing State or organization does not want to identify the sex, the filler character (<) shall be used in
this field in the MRZ and an X in this field in the VIZ."

See 4.2.2 of https://www.icao.int/publications/Documents/9303_p4_cons_en.pdf

@deviantollam Please be aware that there are three separate public notices relating to this issue:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/14/2025-02648/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-a-us-passport

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/18/2025-02696/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-a-us-passport-for-eligible

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/18/2025-02697/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-us-passport-renewal-application-for-eligible

@deviantollam Commented! Thanks for posting this, I might not have found out about it otherwise.

For those struggling with what to say, I started by stating that I oppose this policy, summarizing my reasons for that position, and then justifying those reasons. It made for a long document though, so maybe just the first two are sufficient.