Hunter Schafer, the 26-year-old trans actor known for her role in Euphoria, recently spoke out about the challenges facing the trans community regarding official documents. At the Independent Spirit Awards, Schafer explained the significance of sharing her experience, where she revealed that her new passport was issued with a male gender marker. She said it was an important moment to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles trans people face in terms of identity documentation.
Schafer was nominated for Best Lead Performance for her role in Cuckoo and also served as a presenter at the event. Her comments follow a 2017 executive order signed by President Donald Trump that narrowed the federal government’s definition of gender to only male or female. This policy change has made it harder for trans individuals to get passports with the correct gender marker, as the “X” option offered since 2021 is no longer available, and requests to change between “M” and “F” are not being honored by the State Department.
On Friday, Schafer shared an 8 ½-minute video on TikTok detailing a personal issue she faced while traveling in Spain. She explained that her passport, which was supposed to be valid for many years, was stolen while she was filming there. After getting an emergency passport to continue her travels, Schafer later applied for a new permanent passport in Los Angeles. Having identified as female for years, with her driver’s license and passport reflecting that, she marked “female” on her new passport application. However, when she received the new passport, it incorrectly listed her gender as male. Schafer mentioned in the video that she had never amended her birth certificate.
In her TikTok video, Schafer referenced the executive order, 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,” as she showed the new passport page with the “M” gender marker. She clarified that her intention in posting the video wasn’t to create drama, spread fear, or seek sympathy, but rather to highlight the reality of what happened.
Schafer also shared that while she wasn’t seeking support, she felt deeply grateful for the incredible community around her. She described it as one of the greatest blessings in her life, expressing that she had felt supported throughout the entire process.
In response to a request for comment, the State Department explained that it was following through with Trump’s executive order but refused to discuss specific cases, citing privacy laws and restrictions.
Schafer addressed the situation in her video, acknowledging that the change doesn’t affect her identity or her experience as a transgender person, but it does make things more difficult for her. She mentioned that she would be traveling for the first time with the new passport next week.
She ended the video with a powerful message: “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.”