United becomes first US airline to add non-binary gender booking options
Photo by Emiel Molenaar via Unsplash
(FOX 29) - On Friday, United Airlines announced it has become the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options.
Customers now have the ability to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.
"United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees,” said United's Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist.
As part of its rollout, United has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign and The Trevor Project on employee training initiatives, including teaching employees about preferred pronouns and the persistence of gender norms, LGBTQ competency in the workplace and other steps to make United an inclusive space.
"We believe being acknowledged as the gender you identify with is part of treating everyone with dignity and respect," said Beck Bailey, acting director of the Workplace Equality Program. "By providing non-binary gender selection for ticketing and the gender-inclusive honorific 'Mx' in user profiles, United Airlines is taking an important step forward for non-binary inclusion."
"We are thrilled to bring Trevor's expertise on the mental health of LGBTQ people to United to ensure its employees maintain safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ employees and guests,” said Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project
United says it will continue working to build “the world's most inclusive airline.”