Social Security Implements Self-Attestation of Sex Marker in Social Security Number Records
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: October 20, 2022
Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced that we now offer people the choice to self-select their sex on their Social Security number (SSN) record. We implemented this policy change and the new option is now available.
“The Social Security Administration’s Equity Action Plan includes a commitment to decrease administrative burdens and ensure people who identify as gender diverse or transgender have options in the Social Security Number card application process,” said Acting Commissioner Kijakazi. “This new policy allows people to self-select their sex in our records without needing to provide documentation of their sex designation.”
People who update their sex marker in our records will need to apply for a replacement SSN card. They will still need to show a current document to prove their identity, but they will no longer need to provide medical or legal documentation of their sex designation now that the policy change is in place.
We will accept the applicant’s self-identified sex designation of either male or female, even if it is different from the sex designation shown on identity documents, such as a passport or state-issued driver’s license or identity card. SSN cards do not include sex markers. Currently, our record systems are unable to include a non-binary or unspecified sex designation. We are exploring possible future policy and systems updates to support an “X” sex designation for the SSN card application process.
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Tags: social security, Social Security benefits, Social Security card, SSN
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John-Carlos
I tried to update my sex marker today, 12/05/22 and was told by the representative in my local SSA office and by a representative through the national customer service line that there is NO policy supporting self-attestation of sex marker. They said that SSA press updates through the website are not enough for them to go off of when making these changes, and that current policy states that the sex marker must match ID such as a birth certificate.
RC
I had same incident happened to me too today. I had the court order for my legal name change, my updated State ID(my new name and chosen gender marker) US Passport and a medical certificate for my gender marker change. Then SS Rep, she said that “this paper does not mean anything” while pointing on medical certificate very confidently. She then said I need a birth certificate if I want a gender marker change. I told her I was not born in USA, so I asked her if I should go to my country of birth and ask them to change it. She said yes if I want to change my gender marker. Then she kept saying and waving my medical certificate “This paper does mean anything, do you understand? I can change your name but your sex will still be the same, do you understand?” I was totally shocked, thinking at that moment that I need to go to my country of birth, ask the municipal city to issue me a new birth certificate with my choice so I can update my identity on my SS in USA?!! Like who am I that they will grant my request in a country where they do not even recognized transgenders. For the 3rd time she asked me again if I understand what she was saying about the birth certificate, my answer was “yes I do, but I am just surprise since the law office (they do volunteer work for transgenders) who helped me for my legal name change and all did not advice me to get a birth certificate in order for me to change my sex marker on my SS and now you are saying I needed to go back to my country of birth to ask them to change my sex on my birth certificate.” Even my establish doctor who certified my medical certificate is under LGBTQ city health public service, that center gave me a list at the beginning of my transition the requirements on how to update my identity on my state ID, passport, legal name change and SSN. My point is, even I read the requirements on what I needed to bring at the SS Office. This SS Rep, not only is rude but I don’t know if she understand why I was shocked. She told
me that i should go to my country of birth and ask them to change my gender marker. If there are new rules like the update last October, she should know that or ask her fellow coworkers.
A.C.
Hi, RC. We are sorry to hear about your experience. You can submit feedback by visiting our Contact Social Security page. Once there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email A Question to our Support Team” form where you can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. We hope this helps.
Faizullah
Help
A.C.
Hi, Faizullah. Thanks for visiting our blog. We respond to questions and provide general information on our Retirement, Survivors, Disability, Medicare and SSI programs. If you have a general question, we encourage you to ask here. But remember, never post personal information on social media. We hope this helps.
Ashley
Social security Card A&B
TANO E.
Thank you so much
Amy A.
As a health care provider caring for gender diverse people I thank you for following all the latest expert advice. It is time consuming to provider letters for patients and so this allows me more time for my other responsibilities. Thank you.
Davonta
Asked your friend to send themselves to another pace
Ashling M.
As a trans woman who has experienced legal discrimination in my state despite being an upstanding, tax-paying, native citizen of this country I have to say thank you for this first step towards general document reform. It is ridiculous to require someone to go through an expensive surgical procedure just to be able to better protect themselves from mistreatment based on their personal identity. There is no harm in allowing citizens to self attest their gender identity because at least this way if they decide to detransition it does not require semi-permanent changes to the body to be undone to do so. This is a safer and more ethical option and I respect our government for making this change.
mark c.
If you gotta dick, you are not a chick!
Mark C.
And if you are a mark, than you get no ass 🙂
Tony
The Selective Service System follows the intent of Congress and uses the sex at birth.
Did Congress tell the SSA to change people sex without proof of sex designation?
I feel like I am 70 years old. Can I apply for retirement without proof of age?
Tony
The only people who should be allowed to submit a self-identified sex designation are those with medical or legal documents with the “X” sex designation until the SSA updates their system to support the “X” sex designation.
Elvia P.
Garnishment of my federal benefits I paid into without legal proof is illegall and more important then this frickin crap. I want this stopped and someone in the SSA had to be held accountable for such. There is never a name or signature on my letters of who sent me it, why?
A.C.
Hi, Elvia. Thanks for visiting our blog. There are a number of circumstances when the Federal government can garnish Social Security benefits. To learn more about when Social Security will garnish benefits, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions. For specific case questions, please call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Victoria C.
The difference here is that you would be trying to get money you are ineligible for. Gender plays no role in SSA benefits. Your argument is invalid.
Jim M.
Shame on all of you who are bashing others. You can sit there and type all you want about people that struggle with who they are. Tell me, how Is this going to hurt or affect you in any type of way? I think it’s great! I have many transgender friends that are amazing people with corporate jobs and a normal everyday life, and you say they’re mentally challenged and they need help? Maybe you’re the ones who needs help! Empathy for others has obviously vanished and it’s appalling. You should never judge anyone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. With that said, shame on you all for not being kind to Other people, all because they are different, in the end we are all human, Everyone has struggles. Just like you and I! All any of us are trying to do is live our lives to the best that we can and make it through this thing called life.. In the end we’re all human and you should accept your fellow human beings and not be so rude and hateful!, with being said I’m done with this. I could go on and on but it won’t change your closed minds, You will never accept any other people that are different than you. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!
Jorge B.
Totally agree 👍 unfortunately many frustrated and deviated men and women are trying to show how straight they are but deep inside are just afraid of getting out of the closet and show their real self. Instead they want to show their Narcissists nature.
KH
When it’s my money paying for your deviance then I do have a right. If you want this so bad you pay for it and quit bitching about how much you care .
John A.
Damn straight you fucking weirdos out there that need special attention take the extra steps and keep that shit to yourself that’s why anything extra you need such as gender identity and special restrooms start pitching in and quit your bitching the rest of the world doesn’t care. We’re so focused on this type of mentally ill people we can’t help those who actually are handicapped and impaired. Shame on you sorry sons of bitches
ELSIE C.
AGREE 100%
ELSIE C.
AGREE 100% I’M SOO TIRED OF ALL THIS SHIT FROM DEM LEFTARDS, TRYING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING TO SUIT THE 1% (AND I DON’T MEAN IN MONEY 1%), BUT THOSE THAT BELIEVE THE WHOLE WORLD HAS TO STOP DUE TO THEM BEING SICK IN THE HEAD. TRANSGENDER WAS ALWAYS CONSIDERED TO BE A MENTAL HEALTH DESEASE AND IT STILL IS. JUST LIKE ALL THESE COORPORATIONS, THE GOVERMENT LIKE TO PANDER TO THOSE FEW WHO SCREAM THE MOST AND ARE ALWAYS WRONG.
Victoria C.
*”To those who scream the most and are always wrong.” She types in all caps. Hmmmm….
Eamarcoux
I want something done about my being frauded ssi
A.C.
Hi, Eamarcoux. We are sorry to hear about your situation. Social Security takes reports of fraud very seriously. If you suspect fraud, you may find our fraud website useful. We hope this helps.
Preston
What money exactly are you thinking this costs? The person applying pays the filing fees, provides the documentation, mails it at their own cost, and themselves very likely pays into social security or has at some point. In fact, once they have paperwork, they are much more likely to pay into the social security system that will benefit you in the future. Moreover, each person gets 10 freebie cards in their lifetime in case they lose one and 3 if they change their name or data. That’s everyone who gets that. Have you been complaining about that rule since they started it? Nope? Then why is this suddenly such a big deal?
Patricia Z.
This is getting ridiculous and to the fact you agree with this is confusing to me. You jump right in you injustice narrative and that is what is wrong with everything today. Why is it that it’s ok with this automatically just the way it should be and all conform or you’re some kind of racist or bigot? Why aren’t we allowed to have our own views and comments like every other person and not get criticism over it? I have no problem with homosexuals or trans people. But I do have problem with it getting pushed at us and we had better do exactly as they say or we’ve offended someone. Well I’m offended too where is my right? I will not go with pronouns, binary or anything they made up because I have to. This is just more bull that they are making up because they can and want attention. You have no problem seeing on TV people who identify as a dog and go around acting like it, barking and all? And you don’t have a problem with them teaching other people’s children about sexual orientation starts kindergarten when these children have no idea what you are talking about? Tell children being male or female is just something they say when your born but you can be whatever you want? Kids who change their minds every other day what they want to be, your going to let someone put ideas in their heads because you can? Or pornography with explicit sex acts and how to do them? And Drag Queens reading to our children and my favorite, taking 2nd graders to trans strip clubs and putting dollars in their g strings? This is all ok without the permission of their parents? To be told not to tell their parents? And these are all facts that you can look up. You should be ashamed of your self. But they take away the people’s rights to have anything to do with God? Again, where are our rights? This is the United States of America and I will not be told what I have to believe, what I can say or not say.
Pam
I agree with everything you said..
Maddi
How does someone changing their gender marker affect anyone other than the person who’s changing it? It doesn’t. And you’re wrong to assume that trans people are making things up because they “want attention.” As a trans woman, I don’t want any attention. I just want to make the changes to my legal documents, and be left alone. And I think that sentiment is the same for the vast majority of trans people. Also, a kind word of advice, you should consider not spreading false information. No one is “taking 2nd graders to trans strip clubs and putting dollars in their g strings.” Like, literally no one. Ever.
Preston
You have every right to say whatever you want to say. Amen! But you don’t have the right to control how others respond. I understand how lovely it would be if you could, but alas, freedom of speech is freedom for all to speak. You have the right to disagree right back when they call you a bigot, but you don’t have the right, or the ability, to stop the term before it leaves somebody’s lips or fingertips.
(You might want to consider exactly…why they call you a bigot, if it heads into the high double digits. Just saying.)
You have the right to believe whatever you want to believe, too. Amen! You can hold whatever thoughts you want between your ears and do whatever religious stuff you like all to your lonesome or in a church with fellow religious sorts. You can knock door to door, leave a pamphlet, or preach on a street corner if you got a permit. What you can’t do is make me do or listen to your religious stuff, live in accordance with your religious stuff, believe your religious stuff, raise my kids with your religious stuff, or stuff your religion into a loophole between church and state and force it on secular society. Your institutions get tax exemption because they are outside society. You can’t have it both ways.
Also, thank you for an interesting series of google searches that brought me to that adorable documentary about the puppy furries. That’s what we need more of among men. More Halloween-all-year, fewer mass shootings.
Terry
Thats great and I agree as long as they do not try to change me or my family. And remember they are accountable for what they do on this earth. I do not judge people but they will be judged when they leave this earth. That’s why there is a book “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth” that kinda tells us all how to behave. It’s Called the “Bible” Everyone should read it and obey it! God bless you and your friends and The United States of America!
Pam
So true..Amen !
Elvia A.
Whatever number was designated when you applied for your SSN, has no equity or ensured status. The word
” B U R D E N S ”
is unacceptable when it’s their job they are getting paid, generously and have benefits that not even collar color jobs get.
You are all missing the real message in this change.
Regardless of what sex you are had no factor in the number assigned to be able to work. I was issued mine back in 1963, California, but was only able to use it when I was 14 to work. Now it’s 16 you have to be to be able to work. Why should I as a California born and raised, educated and worker still at 62, female, divorced have to be robbed from my account to fund such nonsense be and bull shit?
Victoria C.
Nobody is robbing you. Please tell me how if I had a child that was given a SSN at birth, how does their gender affect your taxes? You do understand that changing a word on a document does not affect you at all, but it makes a world of difference to those it actually applies to don’t you? Do you ask everyone you meet to drop their pants to see for yourself if they are a man or woman? Why does it matter to you what gender other individuals identify as?
Caroline S.
I do not support this mental illness in any shape or form. How can we live in a world where people dont know who they are and want to be
recognized and a government that appoves such outrageous.
Jorge B.
Wrong Caroline, they know who they are. You are the one who don’t know what you really are.
Had e.
I think we all know what you are “Jorge” lol
ELSIE C.
you’re right Homosexuality and Transgender is a MENTAL ILLENESS and it needs to be addresses as such. There are so many Veterans, kids, whole Families and older people out there living in the streets that are not getting the medical, housing, or food that they need bc the Gov. and the Media only focus on BLM, Homosexuals, Trans people, and the worst one “Pronouns” that they want us to follow. Stop using my TAX DOLLARS to support this BS.
Elvia P.
Mentalitity speaking , you get what you get and I know lots of challenged people who achieved what they have and are from working for it, not given a handout from others who paid into it. The system is not for that.
Kevin H.
People like to talk about, “I know lot’s of people……” I’m asking you to give us the first names of 5. You know you don’t know any and you’re lying to make us all believe you’re such a sophisticated intellectual who’s in touch with every complex aspect of modern life. You’re just a blow hard liberal trying to justify those who leech endlessly off of the program.
Preston
Yeah, down with pronouns. It’ll be rough, but we’ll have to stop teaching the Constitution since “We the people” has a pronoun right there in it. I guess it was always part of the deep state.
Preston
Ahh the homeless vets. I’m sure you give all your spare money to homeless vets each and every check, volunteer all weekend doing interventions with street teams, counsel at veteran’s groups, and shelter whole families sleeping for free in your spare room or living upstairs. You’d never just throw “homeless vets and old people” out as a handy “think of the ______” term in order to make another at-risk and endangered group like gay or trans people sound less important, then forget they exist til you need them for another gotcha argument. No!
Pam
I don’t get it either or understand this at all. It’s wrong and I would think abuse to do this to children. A baby born as a boy and it’s ok for parents to say he is a girl and raise said child as a girl is wrong. That Child needs to grow and develop into who they are.
Preston
Amen. I was born with girl parts and thank God, my parents let me grow into who I was–a boy. Who grew into a well-adjusted man, went to college, dated, helped with the family business, did charity work, was accepted by the community, and has a lot of loyal, kind, and supportive friends who’ve stayed around for thirty-some years through lean times and good. I can’t imagine how mentally ill it would’ve made me to be forced to pretend I was a woman. That’s why I’d never force that on a child. I’d let them show who they were inside, like I started to when I was only six and consistently showed throughout my life.
Anan
Thank you again preston
Preston
I’ll address ignorance anytime, and pray it does some good! I hope you have a great day.
James C.
Can I identify my gender as a 1966 Chevrolet Belair Coupe?
This woke nonsense needs to stop! As a healthcare professional with 30 years of experience imagine the confusion this will cause in our healthcare system; possibly leading to a misdiagnosis due to a person identifying as a gender that does not match their birth certificate. Hopefully after the upcoming elections we can put an immediate end to the foolishness of Wokeism and remove these misguided bureaucrats from their cushy government desk jobs.
Michigan M.
Maybe DNA identification should be used instead of gender imagination.
Tony
I just hope the far left extremists doesn’t take away gun rights from disabled people on Social Security with representative payee.
Most gun right advocates argue the second two conditions on the definition of “mentally defective”, but the SSA has to met the first condition which are marked mental illness or conditions.
Some beneficiaries only have moderate conditions and approved through the medical/vocational rules, but the SSA requires them to have a representative payee.
In addition, the second conditions are not met. 42 U.S.C. 405(j)(1)A doesn’t state the SSA commissioner to determine if they are dangerous to self and other or unable to manage their own affairs.
The two conditions in 20 CFR 404.2010(a) aren’t even similar to the definition of “mentally defective.”
(1) Legally incompetent or mentally incapable of managing benefit payments; or
(2) Physically incapable of managing or directing the management of his or her benefit payments.
Why doesn’t the SSA accept the VA definition of disability? Federal agencies definition for words are not same.
“Mentally Defective” and “Representative Payee” are not even the same words so how can the share the same definition.
Morgan R.
Hello James! May I remind you that many healthcare professionals have the intellectual bandwidth to both sensitively inquire about a patient’s assigned sex at birth AND properly acknowledge their gender identity.
Kris
As a transgender person, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT!
Jorge
Best answer ever, for someone so incompetent as James.
Enough!
So Jorge, if it’s mentally incompetent to expect the tax dollars to be spent to guarantee medical treatment to be provided effectively, what is competent? Lifting your skirt to see if you’re a dude or a princess before treating you?
Marco M.
Dude or princess? From that comment alone it screams that you have serious issues with women.
Victoria C.
Some medical professionals haven’t evolved enough to understand empathy and compassion. Others don’t take the “Do NO harm, do KNOW harm” motto for what it means.
Elvia P.
I agree on that basis. Batter up!
Tony
Equality is good, but it shouldn’t cost taxpayers money.
At least the SSA doesn’t take away disabled people’s second amendment rights to own a gun.
The law defines disability as the inability to do any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. See 20 C.F.R. 1505
The definition of “disability” doesn’t mean the person is mentally defective.
Being disabled under workers compensation doesn’t take away your second amendment rights of the U.S. Constitution either.
The Veteran Administration takes away veterans second amendment right without due process of federal law.
Only a federal law and not a federal regulation can take away veterans second amendment right of the U.S. Constitution.
The purpose for rating a veteran mentally incompetent isn’t for disability.
The purpose for rating a veteran mentally incompetent is for life insurance (38 U.S.C. 1922). See 38 C.F.R. 3.353
The VA doesn’t even offer the life insurance (38 U.S.C. 1922) to veterans. Veterans cannot apply within two years after the appointment of a guardian or within two years after the removal of the disability.
The VA is taking away veterans second amendment right with an old federal law that no longer apply to veterans.
You can report it to the VA OIG but they will just ignore it. It is the biggest fraud and waste of money and resources by the VA.
Dr. P.
Dear Mr. Kilolo Kijakazi ( CEO of SS Dept)
Dr. I Pankaj A shah ( 12/15/1952 ) and my wife Dr. Malti P shah came together in USA as immigrant visa on 05/04/2022
By new law, when we enter in Int’l Newark NJ Airport, we gave big seal envelope to Immigration ( USCIS) dept to Newark Airport which got from Abbacy from India
And they said do not open both seal envelope but give to Newark Airport, so they can generate both of green card and both of your Social security automatic you dot go to any of office.
We also called USCIS on their 1-800 no. The recording said we have to call the SS office, but the SS office treated us just like dogs / slavers. Same on it
So we follow up it
So my wife ( Dr. Malti Shah) got green card and social security card with in two week without not going in any government office
But as Dr, Pankaj A Shah got only a Green Card not Social Security card.
You have to do some heavy action against district manager of union NJ office, she feel like she own USA country and we all alien are slavers ( we lost her name but if want we can provide u later on
We are getting very hard time with Social security office in Union NJ, They are given very unprofessionally treatments, very rude attitude ( by Sr. employees )
We went on 05/12/2022 to the Social security office in Union NJ, (with all required original documents ) We signed in on the front computer with the help of security Guard.
After one hour’s wait , window no #25 called ( all the way in the back side, Mr.25 Window man said it has already generated your SS card and you can have it before 05/25/2022. We can generate other duplicate cards. He kept our original SS application with him.
So please wait for it
So until today we still have not gotten my ss card, so I am a big loser from taking Medical school admission and Driving license and lost appointment for a job interview. You make us very upset and loose trust of USA governments managements and their employees
So we went back to India we have very busy there clinic and our patients are waiting for us
Who is insulting us, that we are liyer that we did not went to Social security off on 05/12/2022, She is district Manager but in a very nasty way treated us . She failed to properly discover the system that we are in. Top of she said now we have to come back to USA with
All original documents.
I Tx all my original documents to My sister Mira A Shah who is sponsoring us, so she went to that office twice to find only that did u issue the ss card Of Pankaj Shah ? yes or no ? but she is also getting insulted by employees and threatening her to leave this office or call guard on her.
My wife is getting an automatic SS card. Why not Pankaj A Shah getting an Automatic SS card ? when they came the same day to the USA.
What kind of management ? top of we are getting insulting, this is very stressful and horrible services for us as Sr. citizen people,
Where we can file complain about all situation
How do you feel when you come to India and they are treated the same way to run around ?
Please reply us as soon as possible in details with good discovery and with my Social security
Pankaj A shah
—————————————-we also contact USCIS…—————
09/21/2022If you want to check the status of an immigration application, apply for status, or update your contact information, you will need to contact USCIS using one of the methods below.
Visit the USCIS Contact Us page at: https://www.uscis.gov/contactcenter
myUSCIS provides a personalized account to help you navigate the immigration process. You can visit their homepage at: https://myaccount.uscis.gov/
You may call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. USCIS representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, except on federal holidays.
We hope this information is helpful. If you need additional assistance, please call E-Verify at (855) 804-0296 or email us at myeverify@uscis.dhs.gov. We are available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. For users with hearing and speech impairment, please call TTY at 877-875-6028, available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.
A.C.
Hi, Dr. Shah. We are sorry to hear about your experience. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We have referred your concerns to our Operations Staff. You can also submit feedback by visiting our Contact Social Security page. Once there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email A Question to our Support Team” form where you can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. We hope this is resolved soon.