Alaska sued by transgender woman over driver's license

[GRH]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_902203.html

So the transgender woman has her sex/gender listed as female on other documents like her passport. The state of Alaska initially listed her sex/gender as female but then rescinded that license and reissued a license listing the sex as male. The ACLU is suing the state on behalf of the woman. The state is wanting documentation that the woman has undergone sexual reassignment surgery prior to changing the listed sex.

While I can certainly appreciate the woman's desire to be listed as female, I don't feel like her rights have been violated. Sex and gender are two separate concepts. The woman may indeed identify as the female gender; however, barring sexual reassignment surgery, the woman clearly still possesses a male sexual assignment. I believe the state is well within its right to demand documentation of SRS having been undergone before changing the sex assignment on the license.

[KittyKaiti]

Drivers licenses really don't matter to anyone lol, why the state or anyone should care if a transwoman wants to be marked as Female on the license doesn't matter to them. Birth certificates and health insurance info, sure, post ops can change it but a drivers license or ID is most often used by liquour stores, cigarette vendors and sometimes when I buy spraypaint at Wal-Mart. Cops use it too I guess, when I ever run into them and I present female, so a license should match that so I don't get the deliberate "sir" from the dick cops. She should sue if she wants and I support it... Alaska is Sarah Palin's homeland and they should suffer for their discriminatory system. If she is a transitioning transsexual woman, she should have an ID that states she is a woman.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by KittyKaiti

why the state or anyone should care if a transwoman wants to be marked as Female on the license doesn't matter to them.

Because, heterosexism.

[GRH]

I agree that she should sue if she wants to-- and she has the right to lose her lawsuit. If a person possesses a penis, what makes them feel entitled to having their biological sex listed as "female?" I believe the state has the right to impose standards for licensing purposes-- and if the state deems that a person's biological sex will determine how they are categorized for licensing purposes, then the state hasn't violated anyone's rights.

[KittyKaiti]

I guess that then if the state wanted to deny transpeople the right to transition because it doesn't fit their standards of the definition of what is legally male or female, I guess that's the state's right too.

[smc]

Originally Posted by GRH

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_902203.html

So the transgender woman has her sex/gender listed as female on other documents like her passport. The state of Alaska initially listed her sex/gender as female but then rescinded that license and reissued a license listing the sex as male. The ACLU is suing the state on behalf of the woman. The state is wanting documentation that the woman has undergone sexual reassignment surgery prior to changing the listed sex.

While I can certainly appreciate the woman's desire to be listed as female, I don't feel like her rights have been violated. Sex and gender are two separate concepts. The woman may indeed identify as the female gender; however, barring sexual reassignment surgery, the woman clearly still possesses a male sexual assignment. I believe the state is well within its right to demand documentation of SRS having been undergone before changing the sex assignment on the license.

Originally Posted by GRH

I agree that she should sue if she wants to-- and she has the right to lose her lawsuit. If a person possesses a penis, what makes them feel entitled to having their biological sex listed as "female?" I believe the state has the right to impose standards for licensing purposes-- and if the state deems that a person's biological sex will determine how they are categorized for licensing purposes, then the state hasn't violated anyone's rights.

Originally Posted by KittyKaiti

I guess that then if the state wanted to deny transpeople the right to transition because it doesn't fit their standards of the definition of what is legally male or female, I guess that's the state's right too.

That's what I was thinking, too. Thanks for stating it explicitly.