Another Victory – NM Driver Licenses

Drivers license gender change easier for New Mexico’s transgender people
New Mexico Independent
By Marjorie Childress
August 9, 2010

Checking “F” or “M” for gender designation on a driver’s license isn’t something most people think much about. But for transgender individuals who feel different from their biological sex, the discrepancy between what’s listed as their gender on identifying documents and their appearance can lead to unexpected problems.

For example, a woman transitioning to a man might have a beard, leading to problems if pulled over in a traffic stop or to security questions at an airport, advocates say.

In a move that prompted cheers from the state’s growing transgender community, New Mexico acted last month to reduce the number of those types of situations.

The New Mexico Motor Vehicles Division in July established a new form to help facilitate changing a person’s gender designation on a drivers license. In doing so, the MVD clarified that gender surgery is not a requirement for a person seeking to change their gender. All that is required is the signature of a medical provider or clinician, stating their opinion that the person will not change their gender again in the foreseeable future.

This is an important victory because as the article points out when we transition might not match the gender on our driver license. Because of medical standards of care, we have live in our true gender for at least a year before we can have surgery. By requiring surgery before you can change your gender marker on your license might expose you to harassment or discrimination. Here in Connecticut we are lucky because we also can change our gender marker with a doctors letter.