Texas Halts Gender Marker Changes on State IDs for Transgender Individuals

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has stopped accepting court orders for changing gender markers on state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses, effective August 20, 2024. The decision follows concerns the Texas Attorney General’s office raised regarding the “validity of court orders” directing state agencies to alter gender markers in official records. The DPS cited a need for a comprehensive legal review due to the lack of legislative authority and evidentiary standards governing such changes.

This new policy has sparked criticism from LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas and Equality Texas, who argue that it jeopardizes the safety and dignity of transgender individuals. Ash Hall, the ACLU of Texas’ policy and advocacy strategist for LGBTQIA+ rights, condemned the move, stating that it increases the risk of outing transgender people and exposing them to discrimination and violence.

Despite the change, transgender Texans will still be able to alter their gender markers through the court system, though the DPS will no longer recognize these changes on IDs. Advocacy groups like the Transgender Education Network of Texas warn that the policy will cause harm to the transgender community and emphasize that the right to have identification reflecting one’s true identity is a basic human dignity.

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