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Comment by AnyTimeTraveler | Hacker News Reader

And what about the active hostilities towards trans people, who often can't get passports anymore (I personally know one person who has this problem) and can't update their names and gender entries anymore.

What about the demolishing of government agencies that DOGE is trying (and sometimes succeding) in? You call it "termination of employees", but don't seem to consider that they tried to fire jugdes who restrained their power. This looks to me like a plain powergrab. I hope I don't need to tell you where something like this leads, but I am certain it's not going to be democratic or respectful of civic freedoms.

As a non-straight non-binary (neither cis-male or -female) person, the US is currently just about the last place I want to be. If the current trend continues, then I genuinely fear for the lives of some of my friends.

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I'm not aware of any new rules this year that has made anyone suddenly ineligible for a passport.

There are new rules making it hard for trans people to get an accurate passport.

This would make more sense. It's a very different problem if trans people "can't get passports anymore" vs being able to get their preferred gender on a passport.

Of course, the use of the term 'preferred gender' is the issue here (I don't mean with your reply), since to trans people such as myself, it's literally who we are.

Imagine someone that has transitioned and passes as the sex they identify as, now only having the option of getting a passport as the sex they were assigned as birth.

Practically, for many, that simply isn't an option.

As I see it, it is an option but there is a cost. You're making an absolute statement when it seems like it's that you view the practical cost of choosing the option as too high. Which is fair but you're refusing to explain the costs. Is it physical harm? Is it emotional harm? Is it future inconvenience? Is it fear of future physical harm? Etc. Etc.

The risk of physical harm and harassment goes up significantly, imagine a transwoman trying to travel anywhere with a passport that indicates male, they can be detained, searched for any reason. That's just one obvious example. There are plenty of other instances where physical harm might increase, and yes emotional harm is a big issue as well, not least because it's a clear attack on dignity.

Someone asked more why it was not an option but deleted their comment before they could answer, so here is my reply:

There is a issue with fear and using the passport.

Border agents have pretty much complete discretion and control at all borders in all countries against non-citizens. Any border agent can deny entry for any reason, or subject someone to extra searches, maybe strip searches, without any consequence or any recourse from the traveler.

Given the amount of transphobic people, this is an issue. Imagine if gay people had to get passports in the 90s or 80s that marked their orientation?

The second issue is a huge issue as well, that could easily lead to an increase in suicides.

I'm not aware of any such rules, could you please point to one exactly?

And could you define the word accurate in this context?

> I'm not aware of any such rules, could you please point to one exactly?

https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/transgender-and-nonbinar...

> And could you define the word accurate in this context?

First, could you clarify if you're a conservative or not? I won't be willing to engage with you further if you are.

I am not, but I'm also not willing to engage with someone with what I consider to be a bigoted view.

> I'm also not willing to engage with someone with what I consider to be a bigoted view.

Yeah, out of the two of us that ain't me lol.

Cheers.

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