LONDON: A campaigner lost a legal battle to have British passports recognise people who identify as neither male nor female when a court ruled on Friday that existing policy was lawful.
Christie Elan-Cane, who was born female but identifies as genderless, wants the government to introduce a third category of passports for such people. "I´m extremely sorry to say that today´s judgement ruled HM Government´s refusal to issue ´X´ Passports was not unlawful", the campaigner tweeted after the High Court dismissed the challenge to government passport policy.
Elan-Cane argues the current system, which allows applicants to tick only a male or female option, is discriminatory. Lawyers for the campaigner had argued that the lack of a passport alternative for genderless people, usually symbolised with an ´X´, breached the right to respect for private life and the right not to be discriminated against.
Both rights are upheld by the European Convention on Human Rights. In his ruling, High Court judge Jeremy Baker said the British government would need to consider to what extent the "recording of an individual´s sex and/or gender in official and other documentation is justified".
Britain´s Home Office had asked that the case be dismissed, arguing policy change would carry significant costs and administrative difficulties. Globally, 10 countries - Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, Malta, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Ireland and Canada - allow genderless passports.
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