Changing the Gender Marker on a Colorado Driver's Licence

Changing the Gender Marker on a Colorado Driver's Licence

Transgender people

Southern Colorado

Colorado

Rural communities

Drivers' licenses

"Identity documents are a major area of legal concern for transgender people. Beyond reasons of quality of life, convenience and even physical safety, IDs that match the gender marker of the person holding them are important in many simple day to day activities. The gender marker is the M or F listed as ‘Sex’ on a driver’s licence. Many transgender people have difficulty with, or avoid altogether, interactions that involve showing an ID because of the possible reactions of the person examining the ID and seeing someone who doesn’t match the picture or gender marker. Even going into a club or bar with an ID that doesn’t have a gender marker that looks like it matches the person showing the ID can create a situation where the ID checker has reason to believe it is a fake. This can lead to life-threatening and uncomfortable moments.

Currently, not all U.S. states allow the gender marker to be changed on a driver's license according to the latest information from the Human Rights Campaign. In Colorado, the process requires form DR2083, Medical Information Authorization for Change of Sex Designation, to be picked up, in person, at a Colorado DMV office.

In June of 2012, I went to the DMV in my rural town in Colorado where the DMV has only two clerks. I had picked up my form, in person, gotten the doctor’s signature and went back to turn it in. The following audio is the story of what transpired." -Kieran Hixon

Hixon, Kieran

CSL: Big Red Resource Kits Activity (Let's Talk About It).

2014

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/

mp3

eng

Sound

LGBTQ+ Stories

Kieran Hixon

00:07:29