SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Hunter Schafer, known for her role on “Euphoria,” spoke about the importance of staying informed on current issues after sharing in a recent video that her new passport was issued with a male gender marker. During her appearance at the Independent Spirit Awards, the 26-year-old transgender actor expressed that it was essential to bring attention to such matters. Schafer was not only a presenter at the event but was also nominated for her performance in “Cuckoo.”
The current legal definitions regarding genders stem from an executive order signed by President Trump on his first day in office, which established a limited federal definition of sex as strictly male or female. This order requires that these gender markers are reflected on official documents, including passports. As a result, the State Department has ceased the issuance of passports featuring the “X” gender marker that was available since 2021 and does not accommodate requests to switch gender markers from “M” to “F” or vice-versa.
In an 8 ½-minute TikTok video released on Friday, Schafer shared her personal experience, revealing that her original passport was stolen while she was working in Spain. After receiving an emergency passport, she applied for a new permanent passport in Los Angeles. Although she indicated her gender as female on the application, she was surprised to receive a passport identifying her as male, since she had maintained female gender markers on her documents since her teenage years. She noted that her birth certificate had not been changed to reflect her gender identity.
Schafer referenced the executive order in her video, expressing skepticism about it, saying, “Because our president, you know, is a lot of talk, I was like, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’ And, today, I saw it.” She held up her new passport page displaying the “M” marker and noted that her intention in posting the video was not to incite fear or seek sympathy but to highlight the current realities transgender individuals face.
While acknowledging the difficulties posed by the situation, Schafer also emphasized the strong support she has from her community. “I wasn’t even really looking for support, but I have an amazing community around me and it’s one of the greatest blessings of my life,” she remarked during her interview on the red carpet.
In response to inquiries, the State Department confirmed they are adhering to the president’s executive order but did not provide comments on individual cases due to privacy restrictions. Schafer concluded her video by stating, “It doesn’t really change anything about me or my transness. However, it does make my life a little harder.” She mentioned her upcoming travel plans and affirmed, “Trans people are beautiful. We are never going to stop existing. I’m never going to stop being trans. A letter and a passport can’t change that.”
