Florida Bans Gender Changes on Driver's License, Sparking Outcry from Transgender Community

Florida bans gender changes on driver’s license DHSMV policy changes Transgender Rights Gender identity laws

By E.Baloyo , Parent Herald Jan 31, 06:44 am

Photo: (Photo : GIORGIO VIERA / Getty Images)

Florida bans gender changes on driver's licenses in their newly adopted DHSMV policy changes, which some say is part of their stringent gender identity laws.

Transgenders living and residing in Florida can no longer wish to change the gender of their driver's licenses to their chosen gender, as it is now officially prohibited.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles implemented this policy and sent a memo directly to the county tax collectors, where state residents get their licenses.

Previously, residents could change their designated gender on their license by submitting either a court order, a name change, or an official physician letter to verify that they had gone through gender transition treatment.

Florida Bans Gender Changes on Driver's License

Without prior announcement, the Florida DHSMV rolled out a policy revision, preventing residents from updating the gender marker on their driver's licenses.

Previously, individuals could affect these changes through the submission of a court order for a name change or an official physician's letter confirming gender transition treatment.

The alteration, now in effect, has implications for the transgender community, limiting their access to crucial identity documents necessary for daily activities.

Ash Orr, the representative from the National Center for Transgender Equality who goes by he or they pronouns, remarked that the recent prohibition contributes to Florida's extensive collection of detrimental policies specifically aimed at transgender individuals.

In a statement, Orr emphasized the significance of access to identity documents in everyday life, affecting various aspects such as employment, voting, travel, and interaction with government entities.

Orr stressed the essential need for everyone, including transgender individuals, to possess precise official documents like driver's licenses to safeguard institutional rights.

According to the DHSMV's deputy executive director, Robert Kynoch, misrepresenting gender, particularly not using the sex assigned at birth, is considered "criminal and civil" fraud.

The accompanying memo argues that allowing modifications based on an individual's internal sense of gender undermines the fundamental purpose of identification records.

This policy shift has faced backlash from Democrats, with Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried condemning it as part of a broader pattern of conservative policies under Governor Ron DeSantis.

Transgender Rights Under Scrutiny

The recent policy change in Florida aligns with the broader push by state Republican lawmakers advocating for the display of the carrier's sex assigned at birth on driver's licenses rather than reflecting gender identity.

This mirrors a situation in Kansas, where transgender residents currently face a blanket ban on updating gender markers on their driver's licenses.

The unfolding scenario underscores a national trend of restrictive policies impacting transgender individuals and their ability to modify official documents.

Analyzing data compiled by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), several states, including Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, impose onerous requirements for gender marker changes on driver's licenses.

These "negative laws," requiring proof of surgery, a court order, or an amended birth certificate, pose challenges for individuals seeking essential modifications to their identification documents.

Further complicating the landscape, Montana has enacted legislation with a narrow definition of sex, preventing individuals from changing gender markers on their driver's licenses, even in the absence of specific laws.

The intricate web of policies affecting transgender individuals highlights ongoing challenges in securing accurate identification documents.