The Missouri Department of Revenue has changed its policy for updating gender on driver’s licenses and state-issued IDs. Residents must now provide proof of gender-affirmation surgery or a court order to change their gender on these documents. Previously, a doctor’s approval was sufficient to make this change.
The Revenue Department confirmed the new rules but has not commented on the reason for the policy shift. LGBTQ rights advocacy group PROMO criticized the change, saying it was done “secretly.” Katy Erker-Lynch, PROMO’s Executive Director, said, “We demand Director Wayne Wallingford explain to the public why the sudden shift in a policy that has stood since at least 2016. When we’ve asked department representatives about why, they stated it was ‘following an incident.'”
According to PROMO, the previous policy was adopted in 2016 with input from transgender leaders in the state.
Some Republican state lawmakers had questioned the old policy.
Missouri updates gender ID policy
Rep.
Justin Sparks, a Republican, said in a Facebook video, “I didn’t even know this form existed that you can (use to) change your gender, which frankly is physically impossible genetically.” Sparks also said he received assurances from the Department of Revenue that the policy would be immediately changed. The issue resurfaced recently when a transgender woman used the women’s locker room at a Life Time fitness center in Ellisville, leading to protests. The gym revoked her membership after the protests, citing safety concerns.
It is unclear if Missouri’s new policy would have prevented the woman from accessing the locker room, as she has had several gender-affirming surgeries. Missouri does not have laws dictating transgender people’s bathroom use, but it is among at least 24 states that have adopted laws regarding gender-affirming medical care for minors. Erker-Lynch said, “Missouri continues to prove it is a state committed to fostering the erasure of transgender, gender expansive, and nonbinary Missourians.”
- NBCNews.”Missouri now requires proof of surgery or court order for gender changes on IDs”.
- Fox2Now.”Missouri changes gender ID rules following incident at area gym”.
- KCUR.”Missouri LGBTQ group says state’s abrupt ID policy changes harm transgender residents”.