“Hunter Schafer has revealed that the gender marker on her passport has been changed to “male.”
The “Euphoria” actress shared a video on social media explaining that she needed a new passport after her original one was stolen while filming in Spain last year.
“To clarify, my gender markers were initially changed in my teens, when I got my driver’s license, and all subsequent passports have listed me as female,” the 26-year-old stated. “It hasn’t been an issue.”
However, due to a recent executive order from the current presidential administration, her new passport now displays “M” for male.
The “Cuckoo” star emphasized that she is “not posting this to spread fear, create drama, or seek sympathy; I don’t need it.”
“But I think it’s important to acknowledge the reality of the situation and that it’s happening,” she continued. “I was shocked. I didn’t think it would actually happen.”
Schafer acknowledged her “privilege as a celebrity, white transwoman” and suggested that not changing her birth certificate might have contributed to the change.
“I’m unsure what processing changes occurred, but this is the first time since changing my gender marker that this has happened,” Schafer said. “It’s been almost a decade. I believe it’s a direct result of the current administration.”
She expressed her frustration with the administration’s actions.
“I don’t care that they put an ‘M’ on my passport,” she said. “It doesn’t change my identity or transness, but it does make life more difficult.”
Schafer will soon test the impact as she travels internationally with her new passport for work.
“I’m sure I’ll have to disclose my trans identity to border patrol agents more often than necessary,” she said, also expressing concern for other trans individuals.
Schafer is not the only trans star speaking out.
Laverne Cox, while promoting “Clean Slate,” emphasized the importance of trans visibility and storytelling, noting “the most intense backlash against trans visibility” in her lifetime.
“Executive orders limiting our rights, 26 states banning gender-affirming care for youth, banning us from the military, from bathrooms… there’s this anti-trans movement, and we’re less than 1% of the population,” Cox said. “Someone said, ‘They’re worried about the wrong 1%.'”
