I woke up in the middle of the night, and couldn't get back to sleep, so, being the news junky that I am, I checked the news and ran across this lovely piece. It seems every time it starts to look like people are finally starting to except and understand transgender/differently-gendered individuals, something like this pops up to show you society hasn't come along as far as you thought.
I've included the article in it's intierty since it's fairly short. It's an AP story so you can probably find it with most major news sites. Here's a link for it from the ABC news site SC DMV: Boy Can't Retake License Photo in Makeup - A very unbiased title for the article. (sarcasm)
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles says a boy who dresses as a girl may not have his driver's license photo retaken wearing makeup.
A New York group known as the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund wrote the DMV last week requesting that 16-year-old Chase Culpepper be allowed to have a new photo dressed as he normally does.
The organization said the youth regularly wears makeup and androgynous or girls' clothing.
In March, Culpepper was told at the DMV office in Anderson he could not have his photo taken with women's makeup and the defense fund says that violates his free speech rights.
"Chase's freedom to express his gender should not be restricted by DMV staff," Michel Silverman, the executive director of the defense fund wrote to the department. "He is entitled to be who he is and express that without interference from government actors."
Beth Parks, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, said the agency has received the letter and will be responding that a new photo will not be permitted.
She said that, since 2009, the department has had a policy on taking driver license photos.
The policy says that "at no time will an applicant be photographed when it appears that he or she is purposely altering his or her appearance so that it the photo would misrepresent his or her identity."
She said that law enforcement agencies rely on drivers' license photos to identify people.
"If it's Thomas Jones on the license and yet it looks like a female, that is very confusing for them," she said. "They want to know what the identity is."
Comments
Seems Like a Catch-22 situation
I wish the article had said what the future plans are regarding transitioning. However assuming she plans to live her life as a woman, then the photo won't match with her presentation. The state is saying that law enforcement uses it for ID, yet by making her take the picture in boy mode, it won't ever match, and she'll probably get into trouble for THAT.
More background would be needed to make an informed opinion I think. I do wonder at naming a minor publicly like that as well.
{{Hugs}}
This is why
This is why I stay away from movements. Groups in society will jump to defend both sides of this issue. And I personally see shades of gray all up in this one.
On one hand, I feel the kid should be able to express himself. (I say himself, because nowhere does the article say he relates to being female.) However, on said day (the most important day in a kid's life mind you) why was this individual not dressed as a girl, or wearing makeup to begin with? Especially if the kid "regularly does it" as the TLDEF claim. Is it as simple as him changing his mind after the fact, or something else?
On the other hand, the DMV has a responsibility to other citizens, and a reasonable stance on the issue. This whole "after the fact" thing with this particular case, throws up a lot of red flags no matter how you spin it. You can really alter your appearance with makeup, and most DMVs even have a policy against women wearing too much makeup. There was a story I read awhile back about a woman going after the DMV for having to remove heavy makeup that covered a scar on her face. So I see their point with that.
The only problem I see with the DMV's stance, however, is said "confusion" can occur at any time.
E.g. Chase is pulled over wearing makeup, and the officer is confused by what they see as opposed to the picture on the license.
Yet in another scenario, Chase is pulled over not wearing makeup, and officer is confused by a photo of him wearing makeup.
In both scenarios there can be confusion. However, in the first, makeup can be removed to clearly identify Chase. That isn't so easy in the second scenario, unless Chase brought along his makeup kit.
I personally think we need better forms of identification, that are more involved than a simple M or F stamped on a plastic card. Even M* *sometimes F, would be better than nothing at all. But then we're back to that whole joining a movement thing, and I don't want to join a movement.
~Taylor Ryan
My muse suffers from insomnia, and it keeps me up at night.
I'm of two minds also
Beth Parks say and reasonably so that DL should reflect your identity but doesn't address hair color or hair styles or different colored contacts. But my DL is good for 7 years I think and I could gain or lose weight in that time or any number of medical issues may alter my appearance. So while her stance is reasonable on the surface the fact is police deal with similar issues daily. And don't get me going on immigration and its effects on driving.
I also don't want to hand the government more powers so I'm not comfortable with fingerprints, biometrics, or any national ID.
Personally I think some kind of a check box. Or what would they do with "A Boy Named Sue." IIRC there was a prosecutor in Tn. that was named Sue.
Not changing her mind
I ran across this somewhere else and got a distinct impression that the first time, the DMV official had refused to take a picture of what they considered a boy wearing earrings and makeup. The kid gave up, had a male-looking picture taken and made a complaint, which is where the story is now.
I wonder...
The policy says that "at no time will an applicant be photographed when it appears that he or she is purposely altering his or her appearance so that it the photo would misrepresent his or her identity."
So, I am guessing that they make every woman remove their make-up and appear in their natural hair color. No men can shave before having their photo taken.
Somehow, I think they are going to have hard time fighting this in court.
"If it's Thomas Jones on the license and yet it looks like a female, that is very confusing for them," she said. "They want to know what the identity is."
And if the person looks female, and the DL doesn't, then what?
Haven't they heard of computers and electronic identities.
In the UK we have photo ID backed up by a complex electronic number that can be readily checked by patrol cars all over the UK then referenced against a national computer licencing agency in Wales.
Oh by the way we also receive a paper (A4) counterfoil that doesn't necessarily have to be carried around. On the reverse side of that counterfoil (paper record) there is a box to record your alternative name that you may use for professional purposes or gender identity requirements or any other purposes.
Their argument might work...
...if Chase were not a gender neutral name.
I dont know enough about this to judge either way
IF he wants to live as a full time woman then I would say let him retake it with makeup and dressed for the role. If its just a gag or something he does part time, then a photo on his ID of him as a woman while hes living as a guy. It could confuse some authorities. Id has be serious for a reason.
I wish the article said if he was transgender or not. I dont think he is
Chase is "gender non conforming"
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/dmv-forces-transgen...
gives a lot more info.
Teresa L.
After reading that story
and looking at the pictures I don't see a problem with letting Chase wear makeup as I don't feel it is a disguise. What about requiring more frequent pictures for those under age 25 or 21 for everyone.
But I believe this is bureaucratic BS.
It doesn't seem to make much difference...
whether Chase has the makeup on or off. He looks essentially the same either way--the shape of the eyes, nose, forehead and chin are recognizable, and in both photos he comes off as very feminine-looking. I don't see how his wearing makeup would make things any more confusing.
Livin' A Ragtime Life,
Rachel
It seems like nonsense...
If it were true that they’re anxious to prevent disguise, they’d have to insist that wigs, hairpieces, coloured eyeglasses or contact lenses, and any number of the sorts of paraphernalia that people place or dangle upon their body would be verboten. Likewise persons who do wear makeup would be required to pick one style and stick to it, lest some poor copper be completely flummoxed, having flunked his or her course in field identification.
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Cheers,
Liobhan
Welcome to Oklahoma
A lot of what you pointed out used to be the rule in Oklahoma. I remember back in the Fifties you had to show up with your natural hair color, no wigs or hair pieces were allowed*. Contact lenses were not available, and if you had the corrected vision checked on your DL then you were supposed to wear your daily wear glasses. I really don't recall what the rule was about make-up, but many/most women had a standard look they wore every day. Remember this was pre-British Invasion and folk music was really pushing the tolerance envelope, so wild looks just didn't show up that much.
I don't know how many of these rules still remain on the books, I do know that the rule about glasses has been changed due to the new Biometrics ID system. Now the camera that takes your ID photos also scans your face including your retinal patterns. None of the rest applies to me so the subject hasn't come up.
* I remember one friend of my mother's who had to have her hair color changed from Platinum Blonde to a drab shade of brown everytime she had to have her license renewed. She would then immediately go to a salon and get it rebleached. Surprised it didn't fall out! Early on the photos were stored in some vast warehouse but eventually they started putting them on the DLs. Not a big problem, everybody 16 or older knew if you worked real carefully you could swap the photo on the license for yours. Instant over 21 ID!!!
I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.
Knowledge is power
Here is the contact info for the Anderson SC DMV. I am going to let them know what I feel about their actions. 9a-4p EDT
Anderson County Highway Department
www.scdmvonline.com
Anderson Location
331 Highway 29 By-Pass North
Anderson , SC 29621
Phone: 864-260-2205
Weekdays Open: M-F
Mon-Tues, Thurs-Friday Hours: 8:30-5:00
Wednesday Hours: 9:30-5:00
Saturday Hours: Not Open
Dealer Central: No
Driver License Issuing: Yes
CDL Road Tests: No
Motorcycle Road Tests: Yes
Road Test Appointments: 2:00-4:30
IFTA/IRP: No
International Customers: No
Public officials should be responsive to the public's voice.
Exploring the impossibilities,
Jo Dora Webster on YouTube