Social Security to Offer Self-Attestation of Sex Marker in Social Security Number Records
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 31, 2022
Today, Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced that the Social Security will offer people the choice to self-select their sex on their Social Security number (SSN) record. We anticipate this option will be available in the fall of 2022.
“The Social Security Administration is committed to reducing barriers and ensuring the fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community by updating our procedures for Social Security number records,” said Acting Commissioner Kijakazi. “This policy change will allow 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 Social Security’s 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 once the policy change becomes effective. SSN cards do not include sex markers.
In February 2022, we issued guidance instructing employees to accept evidence documents that contain non-binary identifiers (e.g., “X”) for original SSN and replacement SSN card applications, and other updates to our internal SSN records. 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: General Information, Social Security card, SSN
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Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Elle
as Americans we have the right to freedom of expression. if you don’t believe in the freedoms this country grants, this country isn’t yours. our constitution demands our freedoms be protected from religious hate, prejudice, and ignorance.
Kevin H.
When illegal aliens begin receiving Social Security for which they have made no contribution, will they be allowed to make a sex as well as a citizenship designation of “X”?
Linda S.
Any update on when this will be implemented?
A.C.
Hi, Linda. Thanks for visiting our blog. We anticipate this option will be available in the fall of 2022. Thanks!
Jamie C.
I’m glad to see that the SSA is considering an “X” option for their records; it will be nice when my SSA records match my driver’s license and passport (and soon, hopefully, my amended birth certificate).
EC
I feel you. I want to update all my information too and I’ve been trying to figure out what I should be updating first but I think I might have to change my driver’s license first instead of my SSA if this is still in progress. Glad to see some representation on here:)
NATHAN-L.
Most gender-centers will recommend updating SSA before your drivers-license, so everything is matchy-matchy for the state DMV.
It’s easier to get SSA (with MD/DO letter, and soon without) to update gender marker first.
SteveL
God made man and woman. So why should we change the gender!!!!!
Cyrus
Because this country is about freedom to live as you are. You get the religious freedom to believe in God so why don’t they get the freedom to believe in who they are? Besides, God made intersex people (people with mixed genitals). What do you think we should do with them?
Kevin H.
Do with them? The people or the genitals?
NathanL
uninformed bias trolling at its best.
(SMH)
Rick
” I’m from the government, and I’m here to help!”
These indeed are the most scary nine words ever spoken…..
John S.
Just what the Country needed. Another gap in our Security. People can be treated equally and still follow the rules. God created man and women. If someone wants to believe otherwise go right ahead. Rules were made for order and security and you just made us less secure.
elle
your gods little rules doesn’t speak for my gods given free will.
LYDIA C.
God created all of us whether we believe that or not. He designed us as a man or woman with specific organs for specific purposes. I believe that what God has put together and created, allow no man to recreate ! An alternative reality is exactly that, altering and abandoning what is real.
Tracey M.
Tracy Morgan and I want to have my social security put on my c h i m e my account number ***********my routing number ********* that’s my account my account I count numbers up top and then my routing numbers right here just bottom now my social security number ***-**-**** and then my email is Tracy Morgan that’s at it’s supposed to be supposed to be Morgan Trac e y 131@gmail.com but somebody went back and change it to Tracy Morgan at 3 37-23-387 I think but I will have to call them tomorrow and talk to them I need to get up early in the morning and call me and talk to me anyway
A.C.
Hi, Tracey. If you are receiving Social Security retirement or disability, you can create a personal my Social Security account to change your direct deposit online. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income, you should contact your local Social Security office immediately. Just a reminder – please be cautious about posting personal information on social media. We hope this helps.
Nobye D.
TRUE! HEAVEN HELP US! The issue has been around since at least the time of Jesus! There is just now becoming an understanding amongst literate people in this world that even though God started the whole process of creating ‘people’ the Bible doesn’t say each would be equally created to bodily nor personality perfection. At least Americans are given the LEGAL right to be free to be whoever God created them to be. Thank you God!
Nlee
Science of body (biology) and science of mind (psychology) are proving: gender is both a physical and social construct. Yes, the construct of gender is partly based on the recognition of what genitals a person is born with – but genitals are only a part of gender identity and are not the sole definition of a person’s gender. Genital sex and gender are not one and the same; though largely we have been using genital sex as an assignment for both, but that is proving erroneous.
Exclusively basing gender on what genitals a person has at birth or any other stage in life – is deficient at best and grossly oppressive sexism otherwise – without consideration to the individuals right to self representation of body, mind and spirit. A person is what matters, not what genitals a person has or doesn’t have.
Men and women have been arguing for millennia over their rights for equality regardless of genitals – yet, many don’t want to extend equality to anyone who doesn’t identify as either one of them!
Yet regardless, men, women, and anyone else – for everyone – gender identity is both inborn and also a culturally informed edifice. Of course the physical body and what genitals are present can inform some of the definition of personal gender – but so does the mind. The minds’ psychology may be partially informed during fetal development with brain exposure to hormones during different developmental stages; but also further develops throughout life from how a person develops within the social rhetoric they are exposed to.
What we make permissible, or forbidden, or stereotyped as belonging to different genders all plays into this: name choices, nursery colors, hair lengths, clothes, mannerisms, sports, activities, careers, all the roles in society we are told about and see etc. go into this well-spring of critically informing our sense of self. Yet, all of which are arbitrarily being defined as either appropriate for one gender but not another and perpetuate sexisms’ on everyone of us!
But the social rhetoric can change as people’s ways of thinking change; and these improvements in thinking can deliver equality for everyone regardless of gender (like the right to wear pants, and vote, and make it illegal to discriminate based upon sex, etc..) and thus can achieve tremendous relief from the burdens of sexist systems of oppression that our culture historically and contemporarily is still suffering from on many levels.
And again the physical sciences and psychological sciences are proving this. Historical and contemporary studies of cultures from all across the world are matching up with the sciences of body and mind to prove gender is more than what genitals a person has. Yet, people are still laboring under the inequalities of basing gender on genitalia exclusively as an assignment given to them at birth -and using that as a basis to further oppress people for the rest of their lives under extremely oppressive sexist hierarchies.
Men and women who say they want equality for themselves need to realize that equality actually starts when you admit the physical and psychological constructions culturally of a person – shouldn’t be solely defined by what genitals a person has or doesn’t have!
Likewise, not only are the sciences and social studies of cultures proving gender identity transcend genitals; so too, the spiritual traditions of many cultures all over the globe also correlate with recognizing the spiritual identity of people transcends what genitals a person has. And more important than any science or religion – the actual lives of real people all over the world is prooving this – there truly is a spectrum to human gender identity that exceeds two mere categories of genital sex.
What genitals you have – do not, and should not be used exclusively to define a person’s identity!
The recognition and inclusion of other people’s identities (regardless of genitals) in no way threatens or harms any existing gender identities, male or female; on the contrary, it supports them by admitting that there are people who are male and female and there are people are not exclusively one or the other.
Ultimately, though as a society who aspires to equality and professes a love of liberty and freedom – we should be doing everything we can to provide people personal liberty to freely define who they are regardless of what genitals they do or do not have. People should matter more than genitals.
The SSA should just remove gender completely from all identifiers for people. People matter – genitals don’t.
Debi
WHAT?????????
John S.
You have got to be kidding me. What planet are you on?
Bev
This is about the stupidest line of crap I’ve ever heard.
R. B.
Thank you for explaining this so eloquently, Nlee! 👏👏👏🏳️⚧️
Ignore the ignorant comments, they’re still living in the stone age.
Nobye D.
Very well said! Thank you.
Marie
To me there is no reason to change SS gender id. If ex-spouse (say husband)dies & you try to get that SS, (after gender change) what are you. You went from ex wife to ex husband? Or the same for men (ex-husband to ex-wife? Just leave be what born. Ancestry will get screwed up bad. Won’t know who to look for.
LYDIA C.
I agree 100%
Lucia b.
I agree, please do NOT change the Gender of choosing to decide if you’re not wanting to be what gender you are born.
John S.
That’s what they want.
John
Maybe.
NathanL
you are stuck in your “old-fashioned” definitions of ‘ex-husband’ or ‘ex-wife’; when in reality they were legally bound, regardless of the gender-assignment they were born/changed to.
therefore, they are legally allowed/entitled to their ex-spouse’s SS, regardless of whatever YOU want to call it.
your hollow straw example holds no bearing on their SS collection/distribution rights.
you don’t have to like it, but you and others still are required to legally acknowledge it.