In a video that’s recently gone viral across Instagram and TikTok, a stunning transgender woman named Zaya Perysian (@zayaperysian) is speaking out about what she says is a direct violation of her civil rights — and it all stems from a shocking reversal on her newly issued U.S. passport.
“I submitted an application to update my gender marker to female,” Zaya says in the emotional, unflinching video posted on social media in January, which is now gaining widespread attention. “I’ve had full gender confirmation surgery, all my documents say female — and yet, the State Department stamped a big, ugly ‘M’ on my passport.”
Zaya, whose flawless skin, perfectly contoured makeup, and unapologetically confident appearance have captivated viewers online, says no one would ever guess she’s trans unless she told them.
And that, she argues, is exactly what makes the federal government’s decision not just bureaucratically cruel, but dangerous.
“There is nothing about me anymore that represents male on the exterior whatsoever,” she says. “The only thing that denying to put female on my passport does is put me in danger while traveling.”
According to Zaya, the reversal was justified by the State Department on the grounds that she had a childhood passport on record that listed her sex as male.
Despite her legal and medical transition being fully documented across all other identification, Zaya says she’s now being forced to carry a passport that outs her in a way that could compromise her safety overseas — especially in countries with anti-trans laws or customs.
“This Isn’t Just a Mistake — It’s Targeted”
While the passport was issued this year, Zaya places the blame squarely on Trump-era policies and the lingering effects of administrative rollbacks that have undermined transgender protections.
“They are only doing this to scare people like me,” she says. “Because they don’t want us in public life. They want us to hide in fear and be scared of them. But trust me — I’m not going anywhere.”
Zaya asserts that the passport application process still includes options to update a person’s gender marker to match their identity, but that this right is being inconsistently applied — or worse, deliberately blocked. In her words, the government is “picking and choosing who gets to be recognized.”
Her call to action has been clear and fierce: “I will fight this. I’m not scared. I’m not going to cry… This is only the beginning, babe. Y’all done pissed off the wrong transformer.”
One person commented:
“This makes me so sad. You are SO beautiful.
Another reacrted:
“She’s gorgeous—you’d never know she’s trans”
Legal Experts Weigh In
While Zaya has yet to name a legal team, she invited lawyers and civil rights advocates to contact her directly, saying her email is in her bio and that she’s open to legal advice via DMs.
Legal experts point out that under the Equal Protection Clause and other anti-discrimination provisions, transgender Americans may have viable claims when denied recognition of their affirmed gender, particularly when such denial exposes them to harm or inconsistent treatment.
If Zaya does pursue legal action, the case could serve as a high-profile flashpoint in the continuing battle over transgender rights and government recognition in the United States.
From Visibility to Victory?
In a time when state and federal battles over trans healthcare, bathroom access, and gender-affirming documentation rage on, Zaya’s story adds a human — and strikingly beautiful — face to the struggle.
But perhaps her most powerful message is that she’s not backing down.
“Trans people have been here, and we’re staying here,” she says at the end of her video. “Y’all will honor it. Trust.”
Zaya’s showing what it looks like when beauty, resilience, and the law collide — unapologetically.
