Around 1,700 individuals in Kansas who identify as a different gender have had their driver’s licenses revoked following the implementation of a new state law that bans alterations to identification documents based on “gender identity” from last month.
According to reports, Kansas is one of five states that restrict transgender individuals from updating their gender on licenses. However, it’s the first to enact a law that retroactively nullifies licenses that had already been modified. The new regulation also invalidates the birth certificates of people who changed their gender markers.
Many transgender individuals have started receiving notices from the state indicating that their driver’s licenses are now “immediately invalid.” The letters warn that those who continue driving without obtaining a new license reflecting their gender assigned at birth may face additional consequences.
Jaelyn Abegg, a 41-year-old individual from Wichita who identifies as female, shared with the outlet that she felt “pretty heartbroken” upon receiving the letter. She plans to relocate out of state soon and has no intention of obtaining a driver’s license that identifies her as a woman.
She commented, “This reflects the ongoing message from the Legislature: transgender people are not welcome in Kansas.”
Earlier this year, the Kansas Legislature enacted a “bathroom bill” mandating that government facilities, including public schools and universities, offer separate bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex. Additionally, the law prohibits residents from modifying their gender on state-issued driver’s licenses or birth certificates.
While the state’s Democratic governor, Laura Kelly, vetoed the measure, Kansas Republicans successfully overrode her decision, justifying the bill as necessary for protecting women’s rights.
Two anonymous transgender individuals filed a lawsuit against the state regarding the law, but a district judge recently declined to halt the case as it proceeds.
A spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Revenue stated that the law took effect on February 26, resulting in the revocation of approximately 1,700 licenses. At a court hearing, Attorney General Kris Kobach noted that the department had sent out 275 letters, of which 138 individuals had since acquired new licenses.
