Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that prohibits transgender people from changing the gender markers on their state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses. With this move, Abbott shifted what had been settled state policy—underlining an action that drew both applause and biting criticism from many different society quarters.
Texas will reportedly no longer allow Transgenders to request a change in their s*x on documents like driver’s licenses.. 😳‼️ PIC.TWITTER.COM/IEXCT21LZF
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) AUGUST 24, 2024
As of August 20, 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety has ceased to accept court orders that allowed transgendered people to update the gender markers on their driver’s licenses and other state IDs. This followed concerns the Attorney General’s Office raised over the validity of such court orders. The DPS said that neither it nor any other state agency was involved in the proceedings leading to these court orders and, therefore, required a full legal review.
“The lack of legislative authority and evidentiary standards for the courts to issue these orders has caused orders issued to date to require a legal review by DPS and the OAG on a case-by-case basis,” said the DPS in its statement.
This new rule bars transgender people from having the ability to update the sex marker on their driver’s licenses, even if they present a certified court order or an amended birth certificate. Such documents are previously recognized as valid proofs in support of these changes. The only exceptions now are clerical errors, making it so that immense numbers of transgender Texans have no identification that accurately reflects their gender identity.
The policy would affect some 92,900 transgender adults in the state of Texas alone. Advocates argued that it strips them of their dignity, opening them up to heightened instances of discrimination and harassment. Imagine having to go about one’s daily life with an ID that doesn’t match a person’s appearance—it’s sometimes awkward and even downright dangerous.
The transgender community, not to mention LGBTQ+ advocates, blasted back promptly. Collectively, advocacy groups such as Equality Texas and the ACLU of Texas rallied against the order by declaring that this sort of policy was a direct infringement on the rights and dignity of any person who identified as transgender and lived in Texas. According to Brad Pritchett, interim CEO of Equality Texas, it will disproportionately affect many transgender people, especially those who try to update their identification for purposes of legal and social recognition.
“We are deeply concerned about the implications of this policy on people,” said Pritchett. “It not only undermines the rights of transgender Texans but also does little to protect them against discrimination or even harm.”
It’s not about IDs alone; it’s about what those pieces of cardboard represent. For many transgender people, an updated ID is a way to finally see themselves represented in society—a way to be recognized and respected. Without such a possibility, they will experience huge complications in almost all aspects of life, from dealing with law enforcement authorities to applying for jobs or accessing health care.
There are also some other keys to privacy and safety at stake. Having to show an ID that does not match one’s appearance can place the presenter in awkward, not to mention dangerous situations. It perpetuates feelings of invalidation and causing psychic damage, adding to a lifelong struggle most transgendered people have to go through every day.
Organizations like the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) have been vocal in their opposition. TENT took to social media to remind people that, despite the new restrictions, transgender Texans still can change their gender markers through the courts. “There is no disruption to society when a trans person changes their gender marker,” said TENT, adding that restricting these changes will undeniably lead to harm within the trans community.
This policy thus opens up an uncertain future for the transgender population in Texas. Non-stop legal battles, among other forms of advocacy, are bound to ensue as organizations and individuals resist what they call an attack on their rights and dignity.
