Euphoria Star Hunter Schafer Faces Gender Marker Issues on New Passport

Hunter Schafer, known for her role in HBO's Euphoria, expressed shock and disappointment when her new U.S. passport was issued with a male designation, despite having filled out the form as female. This situation highlights the implications of former President Trump's executive order that limits gender identification options.

Hunter Schafer, the transgender star of HBO's acclaimed series Euphoria, recently took to TikTok to share her dismay after receiving a new U.S. passport that identifies her as male. This unexpected designation came even though she had filled out her application indicating that she identifies as female. Schafer, now 26, expressed her surprise in the video, revealing the male marker "M" on her travel document, a notable change from her previous passport, which accurately listed her as female.

"I was shocked," Schafer stated, criticizing policies enacted during Donald Trump's presidency which sought to restrict gender recognition. On his first day in office, Trump implemented an executive order that recognized only two sexes, asserting that they could not be altered. As a result, the U.S. has mandated that passports reflect biological sex at birth rather than allowing individuals to choose their gender or request a gender-neutral "X" option, a measure that was briefly adopted under the Biden administration in 2022.

Schafer's current situation arose after she lost her original passport while filming internationally. She had eagerly filled out her application indicating her identity as female and was disheartened upon discovering that her new passport listed her as male. With plans to travel abroad next week, she anticipates facing potential complications at airport security due to the inconsistency between her identity and her official documents.

“This feels like a direct result of the administration our country is currently operating under,” Schafer remarked, referring to the lasting effects of policies that do not accommodate the complexities of gender identity. Trump's executive order explicitly emphasizes that 'sex' does not encompass the concept of 'gender identity,' a stance that Schafer argues has real-world consequences for transgender individuals.

Schafer, who changed her gender markers on her driver's license and passports in her teenage years, pointed out that her birth certificate has never been amended. As she prepares for her upcoming travel, she expressed concern over potentially needing to disclose her gender identity multiple times to border agents, which can feel invasive and distressing.

In the popular drama Euphoria, Schafer portrays Jules Vaughn, a transgender teenager with a layered relationship with the character Rue, further amplifying her connection to discussions about gender identity and societal challenges. As a public figure, Schafer aims to shed light on these pressing realities, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the lived experiences of transgender people in a society that often overlooks their struggles.