The governor of the US Virgin Islands, Albert Bryan, Jr., signed an executive order allowing trans and intersex individuals to request a change to their gender market on government-issued identification documents.
The order, issued in October, directed the Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and other local agencies to update individuals’ gender designations on official documents when requested.
“Virgin Islanders have reached out to our administration seeking a way to have their documents reflect who they truly are,” Governor Bryan said in a written statement. “This executive order provides a fair and compassionate process where none existed before. It ensures that our government recognizes and respects the lived realities of all our residents.”
Individuals who are at least 18 years old can request a gender marker change in writing, though the policy is not necessarily limited to adults: Parents or guardians can also request such a change on behalf of a minor.
However, applicants are required to issue a signed statement from a healthcare provider to confirm the need for a gender designation change, according to the government of the US Virgin Islands. Another pathway to changing the gender designation is through a judicial order from either the Virgin Islands or another jurisdiction.
When the requested changes are approved for an individual, the agencies will change that person’s identification documents, which will use the term “gender” instead of “sex.”
The executive order was issued because previous efforts by the governor to pass a law enacting the same policy were unsuccessful.
