The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to reinstate a policy requiring that the sex listed on American passports must match an individual’s biological s*x at birth. The unsigned order, issued late Thursday, temporarily reverses a lower-court decision that had blocked the rule and marks another turning point in the nation’s ongoing debate over gender identity and government recognition.

A Policy With Far-Reaching Impact

The ruling means that, for now, Americans can no longer request a gender marker that differs from the sex listed on their birth certificate. The State Department has also removed the “X” gender option, which was first introduced in 2021 under President Biden to accommodate nonbinary and intersex citizens.